Shadows Of The Past
by BC-Butch Cassidy-BC
Summary: On one of the most important days of her life Hitomi is drawn to Gaia once more. Thrown into the land of mystery again she struggles to understand why. But still relived to she her love again a shadow looms over the lands of the Alliance.
1. The Descended Shadow

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Shadows Of The Past, Chapter One  
THE DESCENDED SHADOW 

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PLEASE NOTE: This story has been discontinued. 

Disclaimer – Escaflowne is not mine, the characters and story are the property of Bandai entertainment. The story and characters of 'The Descend Shadow' or 'Shadows of the Past' are the property of Butchs Fan Fiction Before use of these characters or elements of the story please get permission from Butch Cassidy at ……………… 

Was it all just a dream, or maybe a vision, no it was real! I returned to earth after Dunkirk was defeated and his fate alteration engine destroyed among Zaibach's cities. I slowly returned to my life on earth but Gaia and Van were never far from my thoughts. Not even today, on one of the most important days of my life.

"HITOMI" The gathered crowd yelled as they smashed they're drinking cups into the air, "At this your twentieth birthday we wish you a happy day and many happy returns!" Hitomi blushed into herself not sure what to make of the gathering in her honour. She had just come home from a hard day at collage and found her living room filled with people, all her closest friend. There was Yukari, and Amano, Sada, Yuuma and many others of her friends. Inside she was smiling, she had been duped. All day they had acted like nothing special was happening. They hadn't even remembered it was her birthday.  
"What's all this" Hitomi asked knowing the answer before the words had even left her lips.  
"Have you been planning this all along?" she asked them accusingly, Yukari and Amano just smiled from cheek to cheek.  
"You didn't think we would forget your big day. It's hard to think about, your now Twenty, you've grown up" Amano answered her still smiling before Yukari could say about the same thing. He walked over and threw his arms around her. Then he released her from his warm hug.

The smile she had on the inside had moved fully onto Hitomi's face,  
"I don't know what to say…. I love you guys, and you have done all this for me!" She couldn't help but start to laugh, she was so happy. It was Hitomi's twentieth birthday,  
She planned to have fun and she was with all the people she loved. She lowered her head in a traditional bow,  
"Let's have some fun!"

Yukari turned on some music and Hitomi's party really began. Everyone danced, enjoyed themselves, and Hitomi hadn't had so much fun in a long time and she really needed it. Recently it felt as if she had been doing nothing but work at collage, with her studies. Any time she hadn't been working she would remember the past. Back though she knew it would make her upset… to her time in Gaia, to Van and Allan, Millerna and Merle, yes she even missed Merle. Her paws, and tail, that obnoxious face and those strange whiskers. Fine she didn't really miss her too much but she always missed Gaia and most of all Van, she missed Van. In the time since she'd returned so much had happened, and she had mainly hid from the world in her studies, she was afraid of what she had seen and what people would think if she told them the truth. When Hitomi returned she appeared at the same moment she left, when Van had slain the dragon. They decided that it had all been a trick of the mind but Hitomi knew better, she had seen it all before.

When Hitomi left the dating game Yukari came in after Amano but she didn't care anymore, she was in love but not with Amano or anyone else on earth. Days became weeks and weeks became months and before she knew it here she was four years later, wondering if she would ever return to Gaia.  
"HITOMI!" Yukari yelled into her ear, Hitomi was pulled out of her daydream. She looked into her friend's eyes closely before she could get a full grip of the reality around her.  
"I haven't seen you in ages Yukari. How have you been?" Hitomi voiced clumsily. Yukari eyed her suspiciously for a moment, "Don't change the subject" She lent in closer to Hitomi intermittingly, "Just what where you thinking about looking so contented?"

She produced an evil smile,  
"Thinking of a new guy you haven't told me about are you?" Hitomi took a step back from Yukari as if she had just been hit,  
"No, its nothing like that Yukari, I've been keeping nothing hidden from you, and even if I was it wouldn't stay hidden for long… You being so perceptive and such a great detective I mean". Yukari smiled happily to herself,  
"Yey, I guess I am really perceptive and a great detective aren't I" She laughed to herself as Hitomi let out a breath of relief, She knew the only way to stop Yukari in her tracks was to pet her Ego, worked every time. That's how Gaia had stayed Hidden for so long, even from her best friend. Amano never questioned her on such matters but she got the impression that that he suspected something had changed in her that night, other than her clothes. That was hard for me to explain.

"Well then, what have you been up to? I haven't seen you in ages! And you living on campus at the Collage" Yukari elbowed Hitomi in the ribs playfully with a raised eyebrow "I bet you get into tons of trouble nobody knows about, well that is till now."  
Hitomi's mouth widened into a large smile and gave her friend a small laugh, still playing with her ego,  
"Yes I get into all the trouble Yukari. I'm really the girl from Hell here and I could have any guy I wanted within a 2 mile radius". Hitomi laughed again as she finished her joke, Yukari joined in as she got it. As it wore off Yukari looked fierce and serious again,  
"Now Hitomi its no joke you really need to get a boyfriend its been too long. I don't get what happened; you used to be full of life and then one day you just quietened down as if you had been through a lot more than the rest of us. Please tell me Hitomi, what happened to you?"

Hitomi looked anxious for a second. 'What am I going to do; this will take more than an ego rub to avoid.' Hitomi raised her head and looked her friend in the eyes. 'Its time that she knew the truth, Amano too I owe it to them both to tell them. What a coincidence that this all comes into the open today, just after I saw that feather beside my bed this morning. I'm I being told something? No thats ridicules. Its time',  
"Ok Yukari, it's time I tell you something that you will probable think that I should be locked up for but go get Amano and meet me outside. Then I will tell you both everything that you want to know and probable more."

Yukari looked confusedly but obeyed her friends request. She turned to get Amano to hear her story. As Yukari left to get Amano, Hitomi turned and walked to the front door of her home. With a quick hand movement she unlocked the door and stepped into the cold, winter air outside. She shivered and rubbed her arms for warmth.

There was a chill wind out tonight and Hitomi could feel it all though she did not pay much attention to it as her mind was still locked in thought. Ever since she awoke to find a feather lying on her bedside table, all her thoughts had lingered on the questions of 'Was Van trying to contact her and if he was what could she do'. These questions had troubled her all day and it was because of these questions that Hitomi's mind was so occupied during her party. It was also because of these questions that Hitomi had begun to think about Gaea and more importantly Van again. It had been so long since Hitomi had seen Van and everyone else that it was almost heartbreaking for her to think of them again. This was because now more than ever Hitomi had just wanted to travel back to Gaia if only for an instant just so that she may see Van again. Hitomi had often dreamed about Van but overtime it had lessened, that was until today. She dreamed about him and how he would rebuild Fanelia along with Allan and Merle and everyone else.

She also dreamed of Van just sneaking out in order to go into the forests of Fanelia. So that he may escape his royal duties and just be alone with his thoughts for a while , sword training or on some occasions by flying and keeping watch over Fanelia's land while his subjects slept. It was this dream that Hitomi had experienced the most, as it was one of her fondest memories of Van, of Van and his wings.

It was a moment before Hitomi became aware of a small white feather lying at her feet,  
"Could it be, no it can't be him," Hitomi muttered to herself as she picked up the feather, it was identical to the one she had found beside her bedside table just that morning. It was identical in size, shape and colour, a bright white just like Van's wings. As she lifted the feather up to inspect it further the feather began to glow a bright white light that hurt her eyes yet she could not take her eyes away from it. Then in an instant lightning began to flash all around Hitomi's feet and body and she was once more encased in a bright light that lifted her from the ground, from her home, from the earth and as it did Hitomi felt a great inner peace that she had not felt since she realised her true feelings for Van. As she knew that she was once more returning to Gaia and that she would once more see her beloved along with everyone else she had missed these long years.

The light dissipated and all was quite once more. Amano and Yukari quickly came through the front door as not to let heat escape the happy party inside. The lights from inside the house played patterns with the shadows. They were muttering to each other,  
"She told us to meet her here, right here" Yukari told Amano looking all around the small garden for Hitomi.  
"Well, where did she go then? Maybe she just went back inside to the party," Amano said shrugging his shoulders. "And if not she is one girl who can look after herself".

They both turned to return to the party, Yukari still feeling uneasy, there was something in the air. As the door closed on the garden all was silent once more

.……….

Within four years the proud land of Fanelia had been rebuilt into a magnificent kingdom that even shined compared to the old Fanelia. Now it was a true power in the Alliance of six nations that had existed since the fall of Zaibach. A real agricultural power it produced large amounts of food and exported in trade treaties to other countries in the alliance. Within the countries only city, the city Fanel, the king, Van Fanel lived.

The people of Fanelia like all people who meet him loved him. His peaceful rule had made things possible that even in the days of old where impossible. The days of Fanelia's ignoring of the outside world where over, its new king saw to that and with this new benefits where sewn.

Van Fanel though happy to rebuilt his country and help his people hated his post, which made him uncomfortable. As well as all the nonsense he had to go through in the name of the state he was constantly reminded of his duty to produce an heir to the throne of Fanelia. But the most eligible bachelor in the alliance had no wish to marry, not now not ever; he had loved and through his love had gone he had never forgotten his vow to her.

King Van's head felt like lead being rushed around by his closest friend. It was time of another 'Acts Of State' that he hated so much. Merle forced him though the doors into the Fanelian Palace's main hall, then she stopped and turned to look him in the eye.  
"Lord Van, why do you have to be so stubborn? I know you hate these meetings but do you have to make it a battle for me to get you into the right room!" although upset with Van Merle never seemed to have the power to really get angry at him, even if she was really miffed. She saved that for the other people around her. Van's face brightened at the excuse to stop moving towards his fate and his advisors. He took a step towards the window at the side of the room.  
"Merle, I know you and if you where in my position you would be hiding in a closet on the 3rd floor by now. And I don't hate this meetings or my advisors I just hate the way they can't agree on anything and then argue about the slightest thing for 2 hours", Van let out a little laugh as he thought,  
"When did this happen, Merle?"  
"What happen Lord Van?" Merle asked as she joined him by the window looking out into the night sky, it was dotted with bright sparkling stars, each representing a sad memory in her beloved's life.  
"When did I start to bow to these pressures? In the past all I had to say was let's build a house over there and everyone would jump to it. Now it takes an army of advisors to make the decision for me. When did I become a figure head of my own Kingdom" Van answered her sadly, it was around this time four years before that he had lost his beloved, Hitomi, he could almost hear her voice in his ears. Her passionate pleas against war and her vows to him, reflections of his to her. A tear ran down his face as all the memories of what he had lost flooded back into his mind. Merle seeing his distress put her arm around him in an attempt to comfort him.  
"Van, I miss her too" Merle said to him biting her lip a little "But we must think to the future and you must be focused. This meeting is important; it will be the last one before Allan's arrival. We must put things in order."

Van took a deep breath of the air in the large hall, and prepared to turn back to the meeting in agreeance but the mystic moon caught his eye.  
"Its beautiful as always, glittering in the night above us" Van said as if to himself before lowering his head sadly "I wish Hitomi was here to see it".  
"LORD VAN!" One of Van's advisors had come to find him as his absence from the meeting had been noticed. Van turned from the window reclaiming his compositor but he advisor stopped, almost scared in his tracks. Van looked up to find the confusion and fear in his eyes.  
"What's wrong Radian?"  
"Your neck, Sir look at your neck!" Radian almost stammered out still filled with fear. It was only then that Van and Merle could see that his neck was illuminated by an erry blue glow originating from the pendent Hitomi had given him. Both Van and Merle looked shockingly at each other before they both darted back to the window behind them.

As they expected in the centre of the sky the pillar of blue light had returned to Gaea. Van looked closely at the pillar and saw it land on Gaia within several miles from their very spot. With Merle still staring out at the sky, Van twisted himself round and barked some orders at his present advisor,  
"Cancel the meeting, something much more important has taken precedence. And get as many guards from the city to start a search operation to find the person who came out of that pillar of light".  
"But Sir…" His advisor attempted to protest,  
"No buts…. NOW!" Van barked back at him. Radian his advisor turned heel and ran out of the room to carryout his kings orders immediately. Van turned to Merle who had just turned to face Van. She looked both scared and happy at the same time,  
"Do you believe that it could be her, Van?"

He narrowed his eyes closely on her and answered,  
"We won't know till we find where that pillar hit land. Come Merle!" Van grabbed one of the swords from the side of the room and ran full stride out of the room showing his speed in youth. Merle needed no second order and ran after him ready to help find the person from the Mystic moon who had just landed.

…………

The cold air bit into Allan's arms as he sat on the deck of his Levi-Ship the Crusade. Although it was quite a warm day the night was bitter cold. He looked out over the lands of Gaia in front of the ship as it floated above the green. He had come to the deck to escape; the game of cards in the other room as it had gotten too much. He couldn't keep his mind on his cards with all that was happening and it was burning a hole in his wallet.

Allan let out a sigh; the sky at night was beautiful. The day after Tomorrow they will arrive at Fanelia and he would ask for help. It would be just like old times just without her there to help them. He let out another sigh, before she had left he had convinced himself that he was no longer interested in her and gave her up to Van but since she had left he wasn't quite as sure. Having Celena there was a help but once it started he wasn't sure anymore…. Celena.

A lot had happened to him since that time 4 years ago. Most notable the death of the king which led to large problems in Asturia. He and the other knights of Cilia had to keep the peace. If the fear had spread onto the streets it could have been a disaster for the government and lead to a horrible power struggle in the country. Why did that Idiot leave, this could have all been averted but he had to be selfish and leave his wife, just like father did. Allan clenched his fist at the thought, he never really liked Dryden but he thought that he had more honour than to abandon his wife, obviously not so.

Since then Eries had ruled the country, peacefully but it would take very little to shatter that peace at the moment. That's why he decided it was better to leave the country quietly, if the people know that one of the legendary Knights of Celia had left the country it might just have been enough. A slight noise startled him from behind; he turned his head to see Gaddes sit down next to him. Allan smiled at the opportunity to turn the mood to something a bit more upbeat,  
"You broke too?"

Gaddes gave out a painful laugh and bowed his head,  
"They cleaned me out". He turned his head to see what Allan he been entertaining himself with, as he saw the sky he sighed,  
"You were always the romantic type boss. Into skies and flowers, just like Celena" He quickly stopped in his tracks "Sorry, I didn't mean too….". Allan cut him off completely with a gesture of his hand; he guessed that this conversation wouldn't be upbeat after all. He was about to speak to Gaddes but stopped as a light from the Mystic moon caught his eye, looking up, closer he could see a small pillar of light growing down to the surface of Gaia in the distance. He sat quietly thinking the situation over, then quietly stood up.

He looked down at Gaddes and signalled that he should do the same, as Gaddes got to his feet Allan gave him an order,  
"I want us to continue moving through the night. If that pillar is a sign of what I think it is I don't want to leave Van without knowing for long. Clear Gaddes?".  
"Yes Sir", Gaddes answered and took control of the leve-ship and started her moving through the clouds. Allan turned and walked back into the cabin as the other members of the crew came out of the open hall on the ship.  
"What happened why we moving!" Reeden asked. Gaddes turned to him,  
"It looks like the little lady has returned".

…………………….

Looking down the immense drop in front of her Hitomi almost felt like she was floating in mid air. I'm I dreaming, what just happened to me? The large desert in front of her stretched out from Horizon to Horizon and a large mountain stood around her. Her heart was racing, how did she get here into the middle of nowhere, in the middle of a desert. She didn't understand what was happening to her, but she felt light headed and a great sense of urgency, like she did when she had told the future all those years ago.

Hitomi fell onto her knees begging for the version to stop, she had promised that she would never try to see the future anymore but here she was seeing it again.  
"Stop, go away, I don't want to see what's to come tomorrow!" She yelled out into the desert. Her thoughts where interrupted by a loud yell, from below the cliff she was standing on.

Without a thought she wanted to help the person in distress and wished for it, before she could move she found herself five meters from a late teenage girl faced by men, raped in cloaks of the same colour of the sand around them. Each holding curved knives, ready to be brought into action.

Looking smug one of the men yelled over to her,  
"See nobody here to help you sweetheart, so are you gonna come or what?" The girl he was speaking to swished her ponytail of brown hair behind her head defiantly highlighting the yellow ribbons holding it in place,  
"What if I said no? But of course you don't know, your type are too stupid to know what the hell is happening around them let alone with other people?" She smiled to herself; she too was dirty. She was completely covered in sand, and looked tired. Hitomi could see sand pouring out of her pockets. 'Wait a moment, they don't have jeans in Gaia, she must be from the Mystic Moon… I mean Earth'. Hitomi thought to herself.

"Sorry but I only follow orders, and not because I'm too stupid to understand there meaning. I guess I'm just a loyal type of guy" He told her before running at her, she just smiled. With a quick hand movement she removed a small curved sword from the leg of her jeans. The man tried to block the attack from the girl with his knife but fell to the ground behind him with a sliced wound along his chest. She wiped her blade and prepared for the battle with the rest of the group she knew was coming.  
"My name is Sadako Kanzaki and I'm pissed and if you don't want my anger taken out on you… LEAVE!" She yelled at the remaining men.

Hitomi's eyes widened in realization. This child was called Kanzaki, the brown hair and the eyes, they're his eyes! She felt sick with the sudden realization of what was happening, she was seeing something that is going to happen to her own daughter in the future. Fear paralysed her as she realized the danger she was in.  
"The little girl thinks she tough because she killed a rookie, I think not pretty" Another of the men told her, "Alright boys she's killed one of our number and Nimura will be pissed unless carry out his orders".

The three of the men ran at her with they're swords drawn. Sadako smiled at the men. With lightning fast reflexes she pulled a small knife from above her left sleeve and threw it at one of the charging men. It impacted in the upper leg; he let out a squeal of pain, and fell to the ground tripping a second of the charging men, falling into a mass of sandy cloaks..

Without a look back the first man thrust his sword at Sadako and produced a second sword. She blocked his attack, throwing the sword out of his hand. He thrust his second sword at her stomach in an attempt at a quick victory; she hit the side of the sword powerfully, shattering it and rolled backwards away from the sword shards. She jumped back to her feet and ran at him, throwing her sword ahead of her with all her might, the sword impact and went right through the man. He gowned in pain and started to fall to the ground. Still running she pulled her sword out of him and continued.

The men she managed to trip up had got to his feet and blocked her blow aimed at his head, recoiling from the force of the hit he jumped back,  
"Who trained this girl?"  
He lifted his sword up to the sky and positioned it so it glared into Sadako's eyes, recoiling from the light she was blinded. He pulled out a knife and threw it at her. With almost lightning reflexes she dodged to her side. She made an angry grown as it slit along the side of her neck and cut some of her free hairs. Quickly she charged at him again with her sword drawn, he blocked her first stick to the side, but didn't move fast enough to block a side hit on his head, knocking the man to the ground unconscious. No sound came from the sword as it hit the sand.

Breathing heavily she walked forward toward the man she had daggered in the leg, seeing her coming towards him, he crawled back, yelling,  
"Help, Help, me please. Please don't kill me, please," He begged her.  
She looked sickened by him,  
"You where warned", She reminded him, he threw this arm to the left and grabbed his sword but before he could lift it Sadako's was in his gut. She twisted the sword, removed it and spat on him,  
"You were warned". She wiped her sword.

She turned around; to finish the unconscious man and directly faced Hitomi, her eyes widened,

"Mum?" She asked. Sadako let out a scream as she felt the force smash into her back; she looked down to see a crossbow bolt sticking out of her right breast. She outstretched her hand towards Hitomi, "Mum?", and collapsed onto the deserts sand.

……………..

"No!" Hitomi screamed as she awoke. She remembered it clearly; she had just watched her own child die. The sweat was running down here face, she felt disorientated and confused. Where I'm I, she thought as she looked around she could she a lusciously decorated room, with dragon carving around the walls and window. She looked closely out of the window, and saw Fanelia, with its familiar forests. Slowly a single white feather floated past the window, it was then that it struck her.  
"I'm back in Fanelia, in Gaia".

It was only then that she saw him; Van was in a chair next to her bed slumped over onto her sheets, sleeping. She lied back on to her pillows feeling a lot calmer. I'm back. "I think I'll go back to sleep, I am quite tired" She muttered to herself before closing her eyes.

Hitomi was awoken by Voices a few minutes later,  
"Van, have you fallen asleep! And when you're meant to be her guardian!" Merle's voice was all familiar to her, how could she miss the voice she'd argued with so many times.  
"It doesn't matter Merle, they're 3 armed guards outside that door and anyway I was tired, that wasn't exactly a breeze in the woods" Van retorted, Hitomi could feel him lift off her bed beside her.  
"Don't worry about it Van, you've saved my life enough times already" Hitomi spoke quietly. Van bolted up as he heard her voice, again. Van's mind was a flurry with thoughts and images; she was really here and now awake. She was back, she had returned to him. Merle couldn't hide her excitement,  
"HITOMI, YOU'RE AWAKE" Merle yelled, and then jumped onto the bed using her feline abilities "I'm so glad you're Ok, but you look terrible"

Ignoring Merle Hitomi turned her head to look at Van; he looked right into her eyes. She smiled, happily. Van couldn't move as if paralysed by the smile. Thou he did, return the smile,  
"Hitomi are you Ok, when we found you last night…. We weren't sure what had happened or even if you were…." Van asked finally escaping his Paralyses, breaking off towards the end.  
"I've felt better, but I always feel bad after a vision" Van's eyes sparkled as she spoke,  
"So your gonna be fine, my doctors couldn't find anything wrong with you but they had never seen someone from the mystic moon before", Van was so relieved it was clearly visible, he had the real fear to deal with that Hitomi just after being returned to him would be snatched away forever.

Merle looked closely at Hitomi and gave her a big lick on the nose,  
"Hey, I said not to do that Merle!" Hitomi said in immediate defence, Merle stopped for a second, smiled evilly at her and started again. Van could do nothing but laugh at the situation. He never dreamed he would see her so happy to see someone that wasn't him, especially Hitomi as they never got along. Once Hitomi had escaped Merles tongue she looked closer at Van and Merle who where now fully visible, unlike before. Van had changed, he had added 2 foot to himself but that was expected, as Falcon was so tall. His messy hair was now kept shorter but still bothered his eyes. His face had become fiercer and less friendly as age and politics had eaten away at him. His dress sense though was the only thing about him that hadn't changed much. He still wore his black trousers and red shirt.

Merle had also changed a lot. She now was a lot less of a scary cat girl, but more of a beautiful cat woman. She had grown taller but not at the extent of Van, Hitomi placed her about 5:8. Her fur had developed and shined in her youth. Her dress sense unlike Van's had changed; she now wore a much longer dress in the same colour as her old one. It crossed her shoulders to keep the sleeves short to show of her arms. Her eyes also looked more mature than they did in the past, Hitomi guessed that helping Van rule a country was a mature job.

Hitomi took a last look around the room before she moved herself in the bed so she was ready to get up. Van helped her by grabbing her arm and helping her out of the bed, as he did so there eyes came into direct contact less than 30 centimetres from each other. Van blushed and started a topic of discussion to take the focus from the situation.  
"Do you think your ready to get up Hitomi, you don't look so hot". Hitomi looked almost insulted,  
"Now Van, I'm a big girl I know when I'm ready to leave my sick bed". As soon as she had finish she stumbled nearly fell back onto the bed. "I'm still Ok, I'm fine". As she was now out of her bed, standing on her own two feet, Van noticed the changes in Hitomi after four years without seeing her.

Hitomi had let her hair grow another inch down the back of her head, and the brown colour had darkened somewhat. Her face had grown much more adult but still had that happy little girl charm. She was also a good bit taller at 5:10, with long straight legs. They would have given her an extra edge I running. She also stood in front of him in a pair of Navy jeans and white t-shirt, nothing like her clothes from last time. She also had a pullover jacket over her t-shirt.  
"Van I want you to show me and tell me everything. I want to know what has happened here and everywhere else!" She told Van looking excitedly at him.  
Van also wanted to talk to Hitomi, they hadn't seen each other in four years and old emotions where returning to the surface. His love for her had never died and just to be with her again was perfect. Van smiled at her and answered,  
"Yes of course, we can show you around the city and exchange stories of what has happened. But I think you should change before we go out, I don't want everyone to know the girl from the mystic moon has returned". Hitomi looked down at her clothes, seeing the dirty marks from mud she decided that he was probable right.

"Don't worry Hitomi I have brought some clothes that you can use for now" Merle smiled at Hitomi evilly "Van we will need you to leave, girls only time now!" Hitomi looked sacredly towards Van.  
"What are you going to do to me?" She asked as if she was being convicted, Merle just smiled again,  
"You'll see".

She decided to go with it, what's the worst that she could do? Hitomi followed Van leaving the room with her eyes, then at Merle and let out a sigh of relief.  
"I'm Home" She muttered under her breath, "I'm home".

……….

The sun beamed down onto Van agreeably, laying back on the grass in one of his many gardens was one of his favourite pastimes on a day like this. The sun just felt like a warm blanket over your entire body bringing peace to the world of chaos. Through it was having no effect at the moment, his mind to cluttered, filled with emotions and thoughts he couldn't make sense of.

Hitomi had returned to Gaia, she had returned to him as if just when he called for her to come. Why now, if it wasn't me calling? With all that's going on now. We have Allan coming, with important news and with the new report in from their lines at Erráre. She hasn't returned to the peaceful world I had promised her when she left for the moon. Van sighed.

Just seeing her is enough, but now I have to work out what to say about what's happened here. I'm only 21, but I feel like an old man, ruling his nation from his walking stick. I may have rebuilt Fanelia but there's a lot of things I've done that I'm not proud of recently. In recent days the war with Erráre, terrorist attacks, deaths and assignations, Gaia is not the peaceful place I wished it to be either. So many regrets for just one man.

As his blanket of warmth vanished Van opened his eyes to see merle face to face with him. He rubbed his eyes and lifted himself off the grass,  
"Hi Merle, where's Hitomi?" Van asked, he never though he would ask that question again, until yesterday. Merle smiled and nudged towards the palace door she had just walked out of,  
"She's not a fan of high lady fashions," She told Van. "She's hiding in the doorway," She told him in a whisper. Both Van and Merle walked over to the doorway to see Hitomi standing behind the door. She looked discussed in herself. She was wearing a beautiful pinkie white dress, the ultimate of rich girl clothing. Van smiled,  
"Look at me I'm the re-enactment of a Cinderella going to the dance".

"See what I mean," Merle told Van, "Not a fan at all".  
Van looked down at her, feeling sorry for her, she had always hated these dresses. He took Hitomi's hand and led her into the courtyard. Before she could protest, the beauty stunned her. The garden, although not being very big had more flowers than Hitomi had ever seen and of all colours, reds, yellows, blues, pinks and whites…. Like Van's wings. She stood stunned for a moment; everything was perfect, except the dress. The sun was high in the sky, the flowers surrounded her, and she was here with both Van and Merle. She closed her eyes, trying her best to preserve the moment, forever.

Merle looked confusedly towards Hitomi, she arched her head in front of hers,  
"What, you don't have gardens on the Mystic Moon?". Breaking Hitomi's thoughts, she remembered why she didn't like Merle that much; she always had something to say. She looked into Merles eyes,  
"Of course we have gardens on the Mystic Moon, but there are few as beautiful as this. Anyway the Mystic moon is very different, than here" Hitomi answered Merle. Van followed the potential argument develop, he loved being with them both, never a dull moment,  
"Ok, cool down before my garden is destroyed by a fight." Van told them both, turning both pairs of piercing eyes on him angrily. He decided it would be safest to change the subject,  
"Hitomi, you wanted to know what's happened here in the past four years"

Both faces changed Hitomi's to one of curiosity, while Merles turned grave at the comment as if remembering something she would rather had forgotten. Hitomi couldn't help but see the grave look on Van's face, he looked almost scared. Hitomi walked forward and put her hand on his shoulder, and lowered her head to look directly at him,  
"What's wrong Van? What could possible have happened here that would be that bad?" Van looked up again with a new sense of resolve. It is now time that he told her the truth of what had been happening in Gaia, and in the past few months.

"Well it all started with the rebuilding of Fanelia. We all went through a lot of hardships but before we were even back on our feet, Alliance forces in the south of Freid where attacked by Erráre" Van started to explain to Hitomi, but stopped when he saw she was confused.  
"What do you mean attacked, and what's Erráre" She asked him. Van took a deep breath and continued,  
"Erráre are a small nation to the south of the Alliances borders. They decided to take advantage of the problems that we've all suffered from since war with Zaibach. They attacked a small town on the border and…." Van trailed off as if scared to utter it.  
Hitomi's concern just multiplied. How could this sort of thing continue here? She looked into Van's eyes,  
"And?" Van felt her piercing eyes, as if they were seeing right through his very soul.  
"and they destroyed and killed everything. They wiped the whole village of the map. Soldiers, men, women, children, everything" He now stared into her horrified eyes. She took a step back fearful of what she had just heard. Thoughts ran through her head like a marathon. Who are they, how could they do that? Could it really be true? Women and Children? What was done about it?

Sensing that Hitomi wanted the story to be continued, he returned to the past.  
"Once reports of this brutal attack reached the different member states, they were Unanimous in their decision to go to war. We where all tired of fighting but how could we ignore an attack on such a disgusting scale". Hitomi looked into his eyes again, she could see and sense how much even talking about this was hurting him. He was on the verge of losing control.  
"Unanimous, which means that you also voted for the attack?" Van nodded a reply to Hitomi, she didn't even notice Merle slide away in the background.  
"And you regret that decision?" Hitomi asked him, he nodded.  
She looked puzzled,  
"Van, I also hate war and what it does to people but you can't ignore something like that being done to you. You mustn't let people die" Hitomi said trying to please Van, though it had the opposite effect. Van dropped to his knees in the garden in front of Hitomi and hid his face.  
"Van I…." Hitomi started before she was cut off by Van.  
"What's the point of being the victor in a war if this is how you do it! How could we become that which we hated the most! HOW!" Van yelled out, the air carrying his voice around the gardens, echoing off the high walls. He pulled a scrunched and ripped letter out of his pocket and threw it to the ground next to him angrily.

Hitomi looked at him. She felt scared; she had never seen Van act like this before, what happened? She shifted her eyes from him and looked at the letter, knelt down and picked it up. Flattening the letter out she could see it was addressed to Van personally. As she turned it to slip the letter out of its envelope, she saw a wax seal. Curious she ripped it off and put it into her pocket before continuing and removing the letter from the envelope. As she read the letter her heart plummeted. She too fell to her knees realizing what had been done. The letter dropped out of her hand and onto the recently cutgrass.

"Was anything left?" Hitomi asked, almost in a daze. Her throat had turned dry, and each word almost hurt to say. Van shuck his head,  
"It wiped out the capital, several smaller towns and several thousand people. The soldiers from Freid found nothing alive" Van told her, the pain he felt was almost unbearable, and the knowledge that he was one of 6 people responsible for such a slaughter. The use of it in Zaibach was needed as they were soldiers and our very survival was threatened. They couldn't have conquered any of the alliance even right after the war with Zaibach, but they still dropped that thing. Why?  
"Why would Basram do that?" Hitomi sputtered out.  
"That's what I want to know and I'm not the only one. Both Queen Eries and Chid want an explanation" Van looked up at the sun high in the sky. Within moments he stood up again on the grass and regained his compotator. Hearing him raise Hitomi looked up at him and slowly pulled herself to her feet. Van caught her arm and helped her up.

Van looked into Hitomi' reddened face. A small strand of her hair had come free and lay over her face. It was at this moment that Van realized that since she had left she had become even more beautiful. They looked into each other's eyes, remembering the love that they knew and still had for each other. Van raised his hand and brushed the free hair from Hitomi' eyes.

Hitomi fell forward onto Van and buried her face in his chest, rapping her arms around him. Van followed by holding her, also. Rapped in his arms Hitomi felt safer and happier than she had ever felt before. She was with her one true love, and as long as she was with him her world would be complete. Van felt like his heart was going to jump from his chest. He hadn't felt this way for years, not since she left. Everything in the world around just melted away in that moment. Both Van and Hitomi wished that one moment could last a lifetime, but all moments come to an end.

In the back of the garden Van heard the sound of feet walking their way. He spoke into Hitomi' ear,  
"Someone is coming from the other side of the garden" Their tight embrace faded as they pulled away from each other. Hitomi looked up at Van lovingly and smiled waiting for the mystery visitor. Walking slowly up the path towards them.

Van's face lit up seeing the man. He also started to smile at Van,  
"Van. Your not chickening out are you!" The man laughed as he stopped in front of Van, saw Hitomi and asked, "Who's this?" Van's smile enlarged an inch,  
"Dawn I want you to meet Hitomi, she returned yesterday". Hitomi could feel herself turn redder by the second. She didn't understand what was going on or who this visitor who interrupted them was but she hated to be seen in such a horrid dress. Dawn looked at Van as if he had told a joke and missed the punch line. He switched his glance from Van to Hitomi and back to Van.  
"Thee Hitomi…. The Visitor from the mystic moon…. The foreseer…. Your Hitomi?  
Van just slowly nodded him his answer, Dawn looked again at the girl in the pink dress. She could be one of any nobles, she looks no different! Dawn came to the quick conclusion that this must have been a cruel joke being played on him.

"Van, are you feeling Ok this morning. You didn't hit your head when you got up or anything?" Dawn asked Van, Van just looked at him. A cold breeze made Hitomi shiver through the thin material.  
"No Dawn, I'm thinking straight and I've had no mind altering falls", Van told him "Didn't you see the activity of the guards last night. They were searching for her after she was dropped by the pillar of blue light."  
"Wait a moment, the pillar dropped me?" Hitomi asked Van confused by the comment "It dropped me from the sky rather than setting me down?" Both Van and Dawn turned their attention to her.  
"Yes it did Hitomi, that's why you where in the Hospital wing. We found you in a heap a few hundred yards from the city walls".

Hitomi was confused, why did it drop me? Any of the other times I came to Gaia it left me off perfectly. Why did it drop me this time?  
"You really are her aren't you?" Dawn asked her now facing her directly. "You're the girl who left here after the fall of Zaibach, after leading a pivotal role in the saving of Fanelia" Hitomi was taken back but was pleased that he now believed that she was herself.  
"I don't think it was pivotal. But I did help as much as I could for Van and Fanelia" Hitomi told him. He seemed convinced by her answer. Dawn kneeled down onto the grass and bowed to her.  
"I thank you Hitomi, foreseer, for your sacrifice for the future of Fanelia and of Gaia". Hitomi almost fell backwards over herself. She didn't understand his strange comments, what had happened, what had the people from Gaia heard about her and who she was. Where they told that she was some sort of supernatural sorceress, with the powers to predict the future and show the unseen, and if they were who told them that. Dawn looked down at the girl; his heart had missed a beat. He didn't expect such a negative response to his comments. He immediately bowed his head again,  
"I didn't mean any disrespect malady".

Dawn felt a hand on his shoulder as he was bowed; he looked up to see Van shaking his head. Dawn was puzzled further by Van reaction, first 'The Foreseer' and then Van reacted badly to his showing of respect. He had almost wished he had seen Van before he had seen her.  
"Now Dawn, you don't believe all those rumours that float around the place do you. I thought I told you more about Hitomi than that. She wasn't anything like what the Rumours said".

Dawn felt extremely stupid. It was true that Van had told him of his true love but he had also heard so much from the city of the great Foreseer, the foreseer who saved the kingdom. He decided he has better get it straight before he gets to know this girl, this girl from the mystic moon, the hunted moon, the plane of unforgotten memory. Dawn held out his hand to Hitomi who was still on the grass where she fell, looking up at the powerful looking man, a man she had never meet but already felt she had a connection and felt she could trust with her life.

"I'm sorry if I put you in an uncomfortable position" Dawn told her as she took his hand to help her from the ground. Van smiled at the interaction of the two. What an unusual situation, one thought the other to be a legend the other a complete stranger. Hitomi laughed, as she brushed the dress down,  
"I guess I'd better get used to that, when people learn who I am anyway", Dawn quickly ducked back to the opposite side of Van, scare of causing more unexpected trouble between himself and her. He didn't want to get on her bad side, as that would make things complicated. The group returned to their walk along the bright garden.

"Now, shall we find Merle" Van told them "Because I believe she wanted to see this rematch of ours Dawn, she was soooo, looking forward to seeing you in action against me. I guess she just likes two guys in a duel showing their skills" Dawn laughed at the thought,  
"Well we can't disappoint her, now shall we" Dawn laughed as they continued to the castles duelling ring.

………

The large duelling arena was built in the centre of the castle Kanzaki within the City of Fanel within the Kingdom of Fanelia. Surrounded by high walls the arena boasted security and privacy for the king and his personal duelling partners. Since the construction of the city and the castle this was one of the few places he could go to escape from his busy life of King. Although the war with Zaibach had ended four years before, the continuing threat to Fanelia lead Van to continue to hom his skills to become more powerful than ever, even surpassing the great Allan Schezar.

The only person whom could match Van at his own game was his personal bodyguard and close friend, Dawn. They always trained together to help them keep themselves on their toes. Van, although enjoying the peace that Fanelia had known in the past years knew that wars where not gone and the resent problems with Erráre brought this to the forefront. He promised himself that Fanelia would never suffer the pain that it did in the past even if he had to sacrifice his own life to secure it.

Van's mind was muddled as he stood across the sandy arena from Dawn his friend and protector. Fierce they face each other across the field of battle ready for the first strike in their battle. In the stands to the left of the arena the seats were all empty, except of course for the Royal box at the top. Here Merle and Hitomi sat watching the two men prepare themselves for battle.

Merle stretched and leaned forward in her seat as she waited for them to start,  
"Ay, what are they waiting for?" She turned to Hitomi who wasn't blinking as she watched the two men stare at each other, "They do this every time they have a duel! They just stare at each other for ages before one of them makes the first move!" She sighed "Why don't you start it already!" She yelled down to them.

Van sighed as he heard Merle's yells from the stands.  
"Must she destroy the dramatic opening to the duel" Van said under his breath before raising his head to face Dawn,  
"Maybe we should start or Merle might get upset at us". Dawn looked scared as Van finished, knowing how bad Merle could get.  
"Van! Don't even joke about that!" Dawn raised his plane sword of steel in front of his face as a sign of respect to his opponent. Van mirrored the same movements, showing Dawn respect with his royal Fanelian sword. Both men moved into battle posses. A gust of wind blew Van's hair out of place, as he prepared himself for the battle.

Dawn closed his eyes and pictured the arena in his mind, from the stands to the walls, from the castle gates to the bridge of Aire. He regulated his breathing ready for the battle with his protectie, friend and King. In an instant Dawn went from still into a full sprint, running at Van. He aimed his sword, the dual had begun. Van was ready for Dawn and the two men struck steel, sparks flying the two fought each other for an advantage. Striking at each others sword time and time again, the battle which had started so quickly had already been stalemated. Their swords interlocked they faced each other, their faces mere inches from each others. Through the strain of the block Van smiled at Dawn,  
"So Dawn tell me, how was your trip. You haven't told me since you got back" Van asked him, Dawn laughed at the mistimed questioned and threw Van off his sword deeper into his side of the Arena.

Van recovered himself and landed himself gently on the sand, he smiled at his friend. Dawn straightened his back and slowly walked towards Van,  
"Well we didn't get back in till this morning because of a lot of commotion with the soldiers. I guess I now know why that was" Dawn answered him before launching into another series of attacks on the Fanelian King "So you can guess I'm still a bit tired from the long journey". Now it was Van's turn to laugh as he continued the cycle of attack and defence tactics.

"Trying to show me up when you're tired! One might think your trying to embarrass me Dawn!" Van yelled at him over the loud bangs of crashing steel. "I could beat you with one arm and blind folded, Van!" Dawn retorted, still clashing steel with him. As Dawn launched another attack Van ducked back making Dawn lose his balance as he attacked air. From below Van kicked Dawn in the stomach this time knocking Dawn back. Van pulled himself from the dust and prepared his sword to continue combat, "Tonight we should try that then" Van told Dawn confidently, charging him once more, "That is if you're not too tired!" Dawn recovered just in time to block Van's attack. Once again they were face to face with nothing separating them but there swords.

"Do they always fight like this" Hitomi asked Merle as they continued to watched the fight develop from the royal box. "I mean do they always have conversations when they're trying to beat each other". Merle just laughed remembering back to all the duels that she had seen Dawn and Van have in the past.  
"Id love to say it's all to impress you Hitomi but they just can't have a full fight without that. It's the only time that both of them feel completely relaxed and can have a good old nattier" Merle laughed into herself as she saw the look on Hitomi's confused face.  
"Ok Hitomi it's like this, Dawn is Van's bodyguard. Because of this Dawn and Van can't act too much like their friends when they are around the people in the castle, this is where they can talk without people caring" Merle told Hitomi changing her gaze back to the battle progressing further on the ground.  
"But why can't Van and Dawn be friends even if Dawn is his body guard?" Hitomi asked confused by the situation. She thought that if anything it would be better as he would be even more set to protect him. Merle answered without turning her attention from the battle,  
"Something about it being a conflict of interests. Say if Dawn was injured protecting Van, being a King Van should abandon him and get himself to safety" Merle sighed,  
"But them being friends Van wouldn't leave him, and that is the conflict of interests. It could get Van killed and that's why people don't want it, but Van doesn't care what they think, and that's why Van and Dawn are friends anyway. Beside me Dawn is the only other person who really knows Van".

Hitomi smiled at Merle and placed her hand on her shoulder,  
"Is there a fee to join the club" Merle seemed saddened further by Hitomi's joke "Cheer up Merle, Van isn't going to get himself killed, not a chance. Look at him out there, he can handle himself and he will also have Dawn to protect him. There can't be anyone, not even in a place as big as Gaia that could take them both on and win. No Merle Van will be fine". Merle smiled openly and turned to face Hitomi, licking her on the face and hugging her,  
"Thank you Hitomi. Thank you for returning and just…Thank you" Hitomi smiled,  
"Yes he can handle himself Merle," She whispered in her ear. Merles smile just getting wider,  
"It's strange, you have only just returned…" Merle began "and yet it feels like you have never left Hitomi". Hitomi smiled and they both returned to watching the duel between Van and Dawn.

Both Dawn and Van where tiring. They had been battling now for 20 solid minutes and neither had gained any ground on the other. Desperate to gain ground on Van, Dawn furiously attacked. In the in suing attack Van's sword was thrown from his hand and embedded into the wall of the stands. Both stood waiting for the other to make the first move and finish the fight. Van bolted, and ran to the stands full pace throwing dust into Dawn's eyes, in his attempt to beat him to the sword and declare victory.

Shacking the dust out of his eyes Dawn turned to face Van once more, now armed with his sword again, standing beside a sizable hole in the side of the arena stands. Dawn panted as he saw they were both back to square one, again and he had wasted his energy for no good reason.

"They're getting serious" Hitomi commented from the stands as she watched the fight. Although she hadn't known Dawn for long she knew that he, like Van was not one to give up easily or one to take defeat easily. "  
Yes, I haven't seen them get this serious for ages" Merle added, seeing the same signs as Hitomi in the two men still waiting for the next fight to start "I wonder what had started this off?" Both girls looked tensely at the fight below, as it started to ignite once more.

Dawn started a new charge into Van at the side of the arena. As if planned, as soon as Dawn started his charge into Van the wind blew throughout the Arena filling the air with dust and blinding both fighters. Running at full pace Dawn lost his footing and fell face first into the dust. Through the wall of dust he heard Van's yells get closer to him giving him just enough time to turn onto his back on the dust. Van jumped through the dust and launched his sword at Dawn, on the ground. Dawn blocked the attack, barely with his sword, leaving them once again in a stalemate.  
"Dawn, you can't keep this up for much long! You can't continue for much longer!" Van yelled at Dawn still blocking his attack on the ground. Dawn, encouraged by Van's overconfidence shifted his back and kicked Van in the face with his boot, throwing Van to the ground several meters from him. Both got to their feet, ready to start anew, when both men where stopped but something neither of them expected.

The main doors to the Arena opened and an old friend marched in. The tall man in blue shock his head as he saw Van and Dawn on the battlefield and he started to quickly make his way to them. Following close behind was a girl, a girl that Hitomi didn't recognise, and Merle didn't seem happy to see.  
"Who is that girl with Allan?" Hitomi asked Merle, she sighed,  
"That is Celena, his sister. You know the crazy one who tried to kill Van a ton of times". Hitomi looked closer at the quite, slender looking girl and back to Merle,  
"I thought when she was returned Dilandau was killed, never to return" Hitomi asked Merle still watching them making their way across the dusty Arena to the ended fight.  
"That's the way they say it, but I still don't believe it! Not for a second! You're not a bloodthirsty boy one second then a nice happy girl the next" Merle informed Hitomi, though Hitomi hadn't yet made up her mind. She wanted to give her a chance; she could only imagine what it must be like for her to have changed so much and to be hated by so many people. Hitomi got to her feet and motioned Merle to do the same,  
"Come on lets go!" Hitomi pushed Merle as she tried to get out of the royal box, "I wanna see Allan!" Merle just snorted at her,  
"Allan, Allan, what's so great about Allan anyway". One look form Hitomi and she was on her feet,  
"Ok, Ok, let's see Allan but try not to fall in love with him again; I don't want you hurting Lord Van". Another look from Hitomi and she was silenced once more, on her way out of the box and down to the reunion of old friends.

Van lowered his sword, seeing the visitors enter the arena. Dawn followed in suit seeing that their duel would have to end, for the moment. He let out a sigh, and started to rub his shoulder.  
"We'll finish this later Dawn" Van told him with a smile. He was tired, and even if Allan hadn't appeared when he did the battle would have been finished soon anyway. Neither of them could have kept up that punishment.  
"You can count on it Van" Dawn replied, before both men turned to see Van's guests.

"Allan, it's been too long" Van started, as Allan and Celena reached them. Allan looked grave but still managed a smile,  
"It's nice to see you as well Van"  
"I don't understand Allan you weren't meant to arrive till tomorrow morning" Van asked Allan, not knowing the reason for Allan's early arrival in his country which caught him off guard. It wasn't that he disliked Allan, but Van never like people coming before they were meant too. He had great respect for Allan, master swordsman of Gaia and one of the Knights of Cilia. He had even helped train Van up during the war with Zaibach, though recently Van had surpassed his teacher in skill as he was sure that his trainee would one day surpass him. As was the passage of time and of training to the next generation.

"Last night we saw something… A pillar of light, blue light, A pillar like 'Hers' Van, Hitomi's" Allan told Van. Allan was sure that Van would be more concerned than that, she may have returned and near here or even in danger. He thought that he loved her, and that this would be great news. He had even gone through the night to get this information to him. "I thought you'd be more surprised Van, Don't you understand that this means that she may have returned to Gaia!"

Van just smiled at his friend,  
"I know Allan, I know what it means and we already know" Van told Allan,  
"You mean you know…… and have found her!" Allan spurted in shock.  
"Yes, we found her last night" Van said and took a look to the stands, Hitomi and Merle walked out from the entrance and directly to them. "And there she is".  
Allan looked in the same direction as Van and saw Merle; Merle with a girl, a girl in an ugly pinkie-white dress, a girl with 'Her' face. Allan's heart took several leaps as he saw the girl, the girl he had loved and lost to Van during the war. The girl he had always hoped to see again. The girl he still loved although he'd would never admit it. He closed his eyes and tried to savour the moment, to burn the memory into his mind so he could never forget it. Allan opened his eyes again and looked at the girl, Hitomi, now standing in front of him, smiling at him. He returned the smile,  
"Hitomi, is that really you?" Allan asked, wanting to believe his eyes "Is that really you?" Hitomi nodded, and walked up to him,  
"Yes Allan, I'm me," Hitomi answered. She hugged him tightly round the middle, and took a step back "It's great to see you again, but there is someone you haven't introduce me to". Hitomi turned to Celena to everyone presents surprise and walked up to her. Hooded Hitomi couldn't see her face as she spoke,  
"Celena…" Hitomi started. Celena was shocked but looked up and answered her,  
"Yes?"  
"Let us forget the past. I don't believe that you have done anything wrong and I don't hate you. Do you wanna be friends?" surprise spread throughout the group like a fire would, when Dilandau wasn't trying to kill Van Hitomi was the one he was after and here she was unconditionally giving up the past, with 'him'. None of them where more shocked than Celena herself who was used to being hated by others, the only one who had truly forgiven her was her brother, but now there was another whom she hadn't even seen since she had returned to her 'her' form.  
"I… I… I…" Celena stuttered, in response to Hitomi. Hitomi just smiled at her, raising her hands Hitomi removed the hood covering Celena's face. With the hood gone Celena was seen for the beautiful young lady that she was, all but the scar on her left cheek, the scar Van gave her. Hitomi's smile just got larger,  
"There will be no need for that here, you are among friends". Celena joined Hitomi in the smile and the mood of the group changed almost instantly.  
"Come let us go, you must be tired from the long trip. Let us give you food and drink. And Allan you said there was something you wanted to talk to me about, something so important you couldn't courier it" Van said as he started to walk towards the castle by passing over the bridge of Aire into the central castle complex.  
"Yes, but such things can wait" Allan told Van as the group followed him into Castle Kanzaki.

………….

Loved by the heavens, embraced by the rivers and cradled by the forests, the land of Fanelia had the best of all worlds within its borders. Hitomi stood looking out the window at the country she knew but the city she didn't. From this particular window she could see right into the centre of the city protected by a series of large turrets leading into the castle complex, still under construction the turrets looked like large tents held by wooden scaffolding. It appeared to Hitomi that the city had been designed to protect it against any and all armies that could threaten it. Even the external walls now had several layers of stone which Guymelef's would have trouble crushing.

Although designed for war, Hitomi saw that the city was also designed for peace, as the inner city was full of gardens and trees for the people, and a magnificent town hall and promenade in the centre for the people to gather. With all the modern needs of the people met, Hitomi was surprised that such a city could have been built in only four years. And with the castle still under construction Van had left himself to last in the rebuilding of Fanelia and the city Fanel. Powerful, extravagant and beautiful Fanel was an example to the world of how a modern city should be built.

Looking from the East to Asturia, to the South-East to Zaibach and the south to Fraid she wondered how they had survived the test of time and the wars of late. Hitomi sighed wishing to see them again, to see if they had been as fortunate as Fanelia in the rebuilding of Gaia in the shadow of Dunkirk.

The small room they had come into seemed to be best described as Vans study, full of papers, with a small desk, meeting table and live fireplace. Van sat at one of the chairs next to the fire, beside the table. Allan, Celina, Merle did the same. Hitomi remained at the window looking over the world, at night. Hitomi thought how much the stars where beautiful that night, the stars and the twin moons at night.

"Van from what I saw as we landed neither you nor Dawn have lost any of your skills. It was quite an impressive show of skill" Allan complemented Van as he sank into his chair and enjoyed the fire. Van shock his head,  
"No, I got cocky and that lead to this" Van replied, motioning to a boot shaped imprint on his forehead "This should never have happened, I got cocky".  
"Even thought that was very good, it's good to see you haven't been slacking in your old age" Allan laughed at Van "Your not a young warrior like me". Van shock his head at the pathetic joke and motioned to Hitomi still by the window watching the stars burning in the sky.  
"Come Hitomi join us, Allan was going to tell us something important, weren't you Allan". Hitomi turned from the window and agreed to join them at the table, taking a seat next to Van. Hitomi felt that now that she was back she didn't want to be separated from him for long.

"Are you sure that nobody will disturb us?" Allan Asked Van, he looked almost amused by the question,  
"Dawn has been given orders not to let anyone in, that means that no one will get in, No one". Allan seemed convinced and took a deep breath ready to start.  
"As you all know that the final battle for Zaibach took place four years ago next week, and in that battle many people died" nodding the group agreed with Allan "Recently have been doing research into Atlantis and the many medicines that they had open to them. In Asturia's central study of the texts I found a tablet, a tablet written in ancient Atlantian, a tablet with what I'm looking for"

The group remained quite following Allan, though most surprised,  
"But Allan why are you looking up ancient Medicines. Why do you need such medicines?" Hitomi asked what the group was thinking.  
"Well, I don't… but Celena does" Allan told them, all eyes on Celena all with the same question on their lips,  
"Celena is ill. In resent months the worst has been happening, Dilandau has been taking control of her for sort spans of time… but these have been getting longer every time this happens" Allan said answering the question they hadn't yet asked. Nobody made a sound for a moment for it to sink in, it was Merle that reacted first,  
"I knew it! You just wanted a cover until everyone had forgotten! But it hasn't worked so you've now come for revenge! Isn't that right, Dilandau!" Merle yelled at Celena over the table, through her hood she started to cry,  
"I didn't do those things. I didn't do anything, but go ahead and hate me! I'm used to it!" Allan put his arm around Celena trying to comfort her. Merle sank back into her chair, not sure of what to think.  
Van sat by the fire, wide eyed,  
"You mean that monster has returned. Was anyone hurt?" Van demanded of Allan. Allan just shock his head,  
"No, the times that it happens have been exact so we have been able to plan for it, but I refuse to let Celena be taken from me again. I refuse to let that Murderer have her again!" Allan replied. Hitomi just sat and listened, scared. She remembered Dilandau very clearly from her trip to Gaia and no sooner than she returned and this happens. As much as she was scared she could only imagine the fear that Celena must be feeling, she could be blinked out in any moment.

Lifting herself out of her chair nobody saw Hitomi move. They all had eyes focused on the crying Celena and Allan. She walked round the table to Celena and kneeled down beside her. All eyes moved from Celena to Hitomi.  
"Celena, Allan, I can't talk for everyone but I will help you. As I said before I don't believe you have done wrong and I want to help you get rid of that Monster" Hitomi told Celena, Celena grew a smile and hugged Hitomi,  
"Thank you" was all Celena could manage to say, as she started to cry again, but now tears of joy rather than tears of pain. Even Merle was moved by the display by Hitomi, Van smiled. 'This is why I love her so much' Van though 'She is willing to forgive all and to help all people she can'.

"Thank you, Hitomi" Allan told her as he continued to comfort Celena, Van decided.  
"Alright Allan, I give you all the support I can but what can we do?" Van asked Allan.  
"I have this" Allan lifted a piece of tablet from his pocket, a tablet covered in inscriptions, Adlantian inscriptions "This is a piece of inscription about a medicine, I want you to try and see if any of your Wise Men can work out what it says". Van nodded as Allan placed the in scripted tablet onto the table. Hitomi looked at it, she recognised that language. Though it was very different from Japanese, she learned it at collage

"We lords of the earth, sky and water here lie the tablet of medical discovery" Hitomi read aloud. All eyes turned to her again,  
"Hitomi, you can read it?" Merle asked quietly, she knew that Hitomi had shown unusual powers but how could she ready something so alien?  
"Its in a language I studied at Collage from the mystic moon, its called Latin, it was spoken in the olden days on the mystic moon" Hitomi explained, and then continued to ready the transcript on the tablet.

"This tablet will lead you to the ultimate goal hidden away, a medicine capable of curing all ailments, injuries and even death. Hidden from a world unready for it we leave this tablet with hope that in the future it shall be found again. 3 Objects you must find, once all three are gathered in the mystic valley the final test you must take to gain the Elixir Of Atlantis. You must find the Tree Of Life, The Snake Of Health and the Sword of Victory. If it be fated you will succeed"

The room was quite, the only sound came from the burring fire in the fireplace. Crackling. Van had decided that he would help his friend to the end and do everything in his power to stop Dilandau from returning to Gaia. He also couldn't bare the thought of being without Hitomi again. Merle decided that she was going to do the same as Lord Van, weather that meant that she didn't believe her, but if she was right stopping him from coming back would be a good thing. Hitomi had already decided to help them, she wanted to help Celena with all the powers she had, no matter the cost.

This left no other options open to the group of old friends; they must begin a new journey and open a new chapter in the book of Gaia. The book opens on the Shrouded in Shadow Odyssey. The shadows on the past begin.

**End of Part One **

Butch Cassidy  
15.06.2003

………………….

AUTHOR MESSAGE

Thanks for reading the first part for both The Descended Shadow and Shadows of the Past. I hope you enjoyed it. This fan Fiction opens the 'Shadows of the Past' series which follows this story as well as 'The Descended Shadow' which follows the story of Sadako. Butchs Fan Fiction Forum is very proud of this and looks forward to the next parts releases for both Shadows of the Past and The Descend Shadow. Did you catch the 'Battle Royale' and 'Ringu' references? Also there are countless references to 'The Prophesy', for more on this Fan Fic head to my links section. Well hope you enjoyed this, my longest Fan Fiction yet and hope to see you again. Any questions mail me at the above address.  
-ButchCassidy

…………………...

END.


	2. Old Tales and New Friends

**   
SHADOWS OF THE PAST   
CHAPTER 2   
OLD TALES AND NEW FRIENDS **

Disclaimer – Escaflowne is not mine, the characters and story are the property of Bandai entertainment. The story and characters of 'The Descend Shadow' or 'Shadows of the Past' are the property of Butchs Fan Fiction Forum.co.uk. Before use of these characters or elements of the story please get permission from Butch Cassidy at butchsvideostop@Tiscali.co.uk 

Visit the home of Shadows Of The Past At www.butchsforum.co.uk 

The sun shone brightly the next morning as Von travelled through the forests of Fanelia in order to train in peace far from the everyday life of life in the city and kingship. This had become a routine for Von every morning since the war ended and Hitomi had returned to the Mystic Moon, he found that his life seemed distant and he was filled with a form of inner peace only equalled by Hitomi herself. Usually he would travel to the forests to train in order to further hone his skills with a sword. Other times though, just to be among the peace of the forest and to clear his mind of the stresses and strains of being a young man trying to rebuild a country from the dust. 

Usually when this happened Von let his thoughts stray off to when he was a child growing up with his brother Falcon. But always no matter what he was doing his mind he would suddenly begin to think about Hitomi and the times and journeys they shared before she had left for the Moon. It was then that Von would realise just how much he missed Hitomi and how much he longed to see her again. However it was on this morning that Vons thoughts began to take a different course as he was thinking about all the events that had taken place over the course of the past two days. 

He began thinking about this miracle medicine known as the Elixir of Atlantis that had been developed by the ancient Draconian's as a way to cure any illness and even injuries no matter how large or how small. He felt a great respect for the men who developed the medicine, only to hide it from the world they knew wasn't ready for such a cure to the pains of life. He knew they needed to hurry with Selena losing more and more control to Dilandau each day. But how are they mean to find this medicine when they don't even know where to look. 

Von let his mind wander back to Hitomi, now trained in the forest. In the middle of his training he heard a rustle which broke through his thoughts, from trees not to far away. Although it did seem to sound more like the flapping of a cloak whistling in the wind. Then it became painfully clear to Von that he was not alone. He didn't hear it at first but now it was becoming clearer as he strained his hearing that little bit more that there were footsteps slowly moving along the leaf strewn ground. Von could barely hear them, they certainly knew how to conceal their movements as their movements were so quiet, Von thought to himself. Von then raised his sword and looked through the trees all around him for his unexpected guest. Once Falcon was supposed dead never returning from his trial to become king, Von purposefully chose this spot as it was in the densest part of the forest where nothing could disturb him, and none has… till now. Not even the Fanelian Land dragons could bother him there, were the trees where so dense you could barely breath. 

Von took a defensive stance as he could faintly see a shadowy figure moving between the trees in the distance. Von then called out to his visitor,   
"Come on show yourself! Face me".   
"I will come out Von.., but only if you agree to face me in combat" he was answered.   
Von thought for a second on this change, then decided it would be good training.   
"Yes I will face you but step out and let me see who I will be facing". 

Then with barely a sound. A figure shadowed stepped out from the trees; cloaked in brown and hooded, hiding his face, an insult to his opponent. Von could see that whoever this person was they were of his height and that one of the reasons he could not make them out at first was because his long brown hooded cloak blended in with the colour of the tree bark and the dying leaves of the season.   
"If we are to fight then do me the honour of pulling back your hood and allow me to see the face of my opponent" Von challenged his hooded opponent. His opponent laughed slightly.   
"If you can beat me then I will reveal my face" He promised and with that he drew a long broad sword, undeterminable in the early morning sunlight. 

The warrior then lunged forward bringing his sword up and then down. Von easily parried and countered by pushing the opponents sword upwards and away from his own sending his attacker back several metres. His opponent regained his balance quickly and the fight began anew. Von lifted his sword up from his side, clasped it firmly with both hands and held it in front of him defensively ready for his opponents next attack. His opponent then mirrored his movement, which Von found strange although he just dismissed it in order to keep his mind focused on the battle. 

The two opponents than began to circle one another each holding the same defensive stance when suddenly the hooded attacker swung their blade anti-clockwise aiming for Vons side hoping to knock him right off guard. Von however showed his skill by blocking it easily by spinning around and parrying the attack. Von proceeded to drive the two locked blades into the ground effectively holding them in place. As the two warriors blades were locked facing the ground it meant that they were mere inches away from one another. 

The hooded warrior took adVontage of this situation and shouldered Von out of the way causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground painfully. With Von on the ground the two blades were free for battle once more. The hooded warrior raised his sword up and began to walk over to Von unmoving on the ground. Out of the corner of his eye, Von watched his opponent approach and jumped back to his feet as he reached him. Both opponents charged their swords at one another. Von leapt into the air and flipped over his hooded opponent and twisting in mid-air so that he landed easily on the ground with both feet firmly planted. His opponent taken by surprise didn't see Vons next attack. Von jumped up again and kicked his opponent square in the chest as he turned around to face him. 

His attacker was sent reeling falling onto his back. As he fell Von thought that he saw a few strands of hair appear from beneath the hood but it could just have been a trick of the hoods colour. Although Von could still not see his attackers face, his hood still shrouded in shadow but for the first time he had a guess of who this opponent may be. Von then sprinted forward and lunged for his fallen opponent. The hooded attacker quickly raised his sword and blocked Vons blade, proving his ability to continue the battle. Von pressed his blade down harder leaving it only a few inches from his face, but they remained at a stalemate. 

Von then felt his legs collapse under him and realised that in the ensuing stalemate, his opponent had taken his legs out from underneath him. Von fell to the ground with a groan. He saw that his opponent was rising to his feet using his sword as a crutch to lean on clenching his side. Von guessed that he had been hurt whenever he kicked him to the ground and this lead to his trouble standing. Von then waited until his attacker had half risen from the ground, then took his chance. He kicked with all his might at the base of his attackers sword send it skimming across the forest floor. His attacker saw this move coming and in one last attempt to stand up pushed away from his sword just before Von kicked it, then taking the momentum that he had used to push himself up, he managed to regain his feet although somewhat shakily at first. 

Without even giving Von a second glance the hooded warrior bolted to his sword now laying several meters from him. Von took this opportunity to regain his own footing and rising to his feet he steadied himself prepared for the inevitable next attack. With his sword back in his hand the hooded warrior walked slowly over to Von standing with his sword raised firmly in both hands. Von began to do likewise and the warriors met halfway and took up fighting stances, the fight began anew. It was Von who made the first move this time as he spun around quickly aiming for his opponent's head although the hooded warrior ducked and drove his sword at Von. 

Von swung his sword down paring the move and brought his own sword down to his opponents left shoulder. The hooded warrior quickly brought his sword up above his head effectively blocking Vons attack and rised to his full height pushing Vons sword up and out of the way. Von then swung low at the hooded warriors mid-section although his opponent also swung his sword low in order to counter the attack. Then followed by sweeping low for Vons legs. Von countered by leaping over his opponent and landing behind him just as before and swiftly brought his sword down on his opponent's head. 

The hooded warrior however prepared for this attack, quickly rolled forward so that Von's swipe missed its target. The hooded warrior then rose to his feet and continued the assault by running toward Von. Then jumping into the air, slashed down with his sword which Von parried once more but the impact of both blades meeting caused sparks to fly as the steel collided. Von then jumped backwards and swung again at his mysterious assailant with a blow aimed for his opponents side. The hooded warrior blocked this attack by turning sideways and aiming his sword down so that it caught Von's attack before it struck. 

However, both opponents where beginning to grow tired from their continuing battle. Von was especially tired, still recuperating from the battle with Dawn the previous day that took a lot of the strength he had, and his face still aced from the boot print. Von then decided that it was time to go for one last attempt to end this fight before it ended him permanently, he thought of a way to defeat his opponent. 

An image of Hitomi sleeping peacefully with the light of the early morning sunshine shining onto her sent fresh resolve coursing through his veins as the desire to end the fight and get back to his beloved surfaced, like a raging inferno giving him strength enough for one last attack. The hooded warrior was also thinking of a way to end the fight as they knew that they would only have enough strength for one last attack before all strength left them completely. So it was that both combatants stood before one another once more ready for one last assault. 

He prepared himself as did his opponent and then in one swift sprint both combatants lunged for one another their blades shining in the early morning light. Von swung his sword down low once again and aimed once more for his opponents chest and in one swift move his opponent swung his sword down in order to parry. As the blades of both swords met the forest rang with the sound of the collision. Von quickly drew using his sword to knock his opponents blade out of the way and in a counter to this move the hooded warrior raised his sword and levelled it directly at Von's neck. 

At the same time however Von levelled his sword at his opponents chest with the tip directly poised and ready to strike.   
"Are you ready to surrender, King Finel?" The hooded warrior asked Von triumphantly.   
"Surrender? Look down and then we will see if you surrender" Von laughed at his opponent. Both saw that they were in stalemate. Several seconds passed as both realized there was no way for one of them to win from this situation.   
"We should both walk away as it is clear that neither of us will win this fight" The hooded warrior suggested to Von. Von was stunned for a moment but finally agreed,   
"I agree but do me the honour of removing your hood. There are few in Gaia who can give me such a good fight, and I would like to know who has such power." For an instant Von thought that he could make out a faint smile on his opponents face even though it was covered by a hood. Both warriors lowered their weapons and backed away and sheathed their swords 

The hooded warrior then lifted his hands to his hood and began to pull it back and the face that then stood before Von was a slight shock to Von, as he felt silly that he hadn't realised as soon as the fight began. But also glad happy as his suspicions from both his attackers fighting style and the wisp of hair that had been revealed when the attacker had fallen were all proved correct. The face that stood before him was young and strong with brown hair that was slightly thick and fell in fringes over the top of his head. He also had greenish blue eyes, the warrior was none other than Dawn Kosime. 

The close friend and trusted bodyguard of Von for many the past few years had proved to be a true and loyal friend to the young king as well as brave. However, it was the friendship that had been forged between these two in the turmoil of the past four years that as the most highly valued as it surpassed the mere roles of king and bodyguard. Von looked at the sweat soaked face of his friend and was glad to see that the battle had not taken its tole solely on him.   
"I have a couple of questions that I would like you to answer for me Mr Kosime". Von asked Dawn having caught his breath, "Question one, how did you know where to find me. Or do I really need to ask". 

Dawn answered with a hint of a smile,   
"Well as I'm sure you already know Merle has known about this place from the very start…"   
"Yeah its hard to keep anything from Merle isn't it" Von agreed with a laugh, Dawn just continued to smile   
"Anyway as I was saying Merle has known about this place from the beginning and well me I've also known about it for the past few years"   
"And how did you find out…" Von asked, "Was it Merle… It was Merle wasn't it!"   
"No, no. I saw you leaving the castle silently one morning and I decided to track where you were going which lead me to this place although as soon as I found its location I made my way back out again".   
"And how long ago was that" Von asked him.   
"About three and a half years, I think".   
"Well if you've known that long why didn't you come out and join me for a friendly spar?" Von asked, he would have loved for Dawn to join him for a spar in the woods. 

"Why you ask… Because I didn't want to invade on your privacy. This is a special place for you and I respect you, I didn't want to disturb you when you are trying to hide from your duties, when I'm a symbol of then as well. I wanted you to have this time to yourself and your thoughts" Dawn answered Von. Von stood silently, taken aback by Dawn's explanation,   
"Thanks, but I never realised just how much you really thought of me". Dawn seemed "Think nothing out of it because don't try and say that you're not always watching my back whenever I need it. Anyway I don't know what its like being young and trying to be the ruler of an entire country, not to mention being a ruler within the most powerful alliance on Gaia". 

Hey! You know I don't like to be seen like that by anybody" Von quickly remained him.   
"Yeah, I know but that's just the way many people see you and that's why I'm trying to say I've just let you have your own personal space because sometimes we all just need to have a little time to ourselves" answered Dawn silently.   
"I know and I also thank you for understanding Dawn as I know that sometime in the future you too will need your personal space and I will give it too you" Von thanked him. 

"Anyway Von you know that there would have no been point me sparring with you that day as I would've just beaten you even worse than I had today" Dawn told Von.   
"Is that so" answered Von defiantly "both you and I know that I wiped the floor with you today and if you had have even stood a chance of beating me then tell me why you had to wear your hood all the time we fought. And you never told me, how did you know I would be here today". 

"That's also an easy question as I saw you leaving the castle this morning while I was up on the battlements training and I also had a pretty good feeling that with all that's happened over the past couple of days that you would be going out the morning. You would want to clear your head before seeing her this morning" Dawn answered him with a smile "I'm I right?" 

"Sometimes I think you and Merle know me too well Dawn" Von told him, not sure weather this was a good thing before continuing,   
"You still haven't told me why you fought with your hood on hiding your face". 

"Come on Von I thought it would have been pretty obvious to you by now. I wore my cloak with the hood up so that you wouldn't know who I was and also to see how you would react to an unknown assailant who was showing the same amount of sword skill that you possess. Then I can know likely you are to die when I'm not there" Dawn told him.   
"Sure your not giving yourself just a little bit too much credit there Dawn" and to this Dawn put on a mock face of being hurt by Von and then answered,   
"You know just as well as I do that when it come to skill with a blade you and I are around equal and anyway I thought it would make the fight that much more interesting if you were unsure of who was underneath the hood. That's way I tried to conceal any thing that might give the game away". 

"Very clever Dawn, Very clever although it was your fighting style more than anything else that made me wonder if it was you although I do have to admit that It made things that bit more interesting didn't it". Von informed his friend with a smile. A second later the smile was wiped off his face, and he fell to his knees. Dawn quickly rushed to his friend's aid,   
"Von are you okay, what is it, what's wrong"   
"its Hitomi she's afraid about something, it feels as if she's about to be attacked by someone. I've got to go, I've got to get back to her now!" Von told Dawn panic in his voice. Von then quickly stood up and began to unfurl his wings, Dawn who was standing watching could see the bumps starting to form in the back of Von's shirt and knew what was happening.   
"Von I'm going to run and get my horse and ride back to the castle as quickly as I can so I'll meet you there" and with that Dawn began to run to the edge of the clearing and within a moment was gone. 

Von's wings then burst open from his back showering feathers all over the forest floor and he began to quickly fly straight up and out past the trees and soon was flying straight over the forest going as fast as he could. As he reached the end of the top of the forest he looked down and could see a small figure on a horse galloping quickly over the land and Von knew that it would not take Dawn long to reach the castle although he would reach it first. As he came in view of the castle Kansaki he found that he could feel Hitomi was still okay but he could help thinking to himself 'just hold on Hitomi I'll be with you now' 

Far below some people pointed up at the flying figure but more people paid attention to the Mounted Dawn on his horse who was riding faster and faster to the castle. As he too came closer, finally the window of Hitomi's bedroom came into view and to Von's gratefulness it had still been left open and as he reached the window he shouted "Hitomi I'm coming". Von then flew straight into the bedroom; touching down beside the window he quickly drew his sword. Bringing it up into a defensive stance in front of his face gripped firmly in both hands. However, he was not prepared for the sight that lay before him as he gazed around the room. 

…………. 

Dawn ran through the undergrowth as quickly as his legs could carry him, his mind racing with thoughts about what could have happened to the lady Hitomi in order to produce such a strong reaction from Von and more importantly if she was okay. It did not take him long to reach his horse Géaroid who he had left at the edge of the forest untied as Dawn trusted Géaroid as he knew that unless he was in danger he would not leave his place but instead would wait for Dawn's return. 

He ran over and stopping he stroked Géaroid's head and said,   
"Time is of the essence, take me as fast as you can Géaroid".   
Lifting's its head approval, Dawn jumped into the saddle and Géaroid shot off through the forest weaving in and out of the thick stumps of the trees and jumping over the remains of any trees that had fallen or been uprooted. 

It was not long before they reached the end of the forest and Géaroid began to pick up even more speed as he was now on the short flat and grassy plains before they entered the city of Finel. Soon the outer walls of the city began to loom up in front of him. As he came closer to the outer walls gate, he saw that the guards had already opened the gates for the day's merchants. Once Dawn had passed through the gates and the view of the newly rebuilt city lay before him, he shouted,   
"Géaroid we need to go faster if we are to reach the her in time". Before he had even finished his request, Géaroid began to quicken his pace and Dawn focused on the opening turret to the castle complex he saw that the houses that lay closest to the outer walls were now beginning to become a blur as Dawn sped past them. When they reached the opening turret Géaroid sped up the ramp to the opening turret spurred on by Dawn followed by the clattering of Géaroid's hooves on the hard ground. They then sped towards the staircase within the turret and raced up it until they reached opening that led out unto the bridge that linked the defensive turrets together. Continuing to race through each of the turrets until they finally reached the central castle of the city and it was by this time that Dawn was becoming more and more worried that they wouldn't reach Hitomi in time. 

They then sped through the gates to the castle and rode right up to the front of the castle at which point Dawn leapt from Géaroid and asked the stable master to take him down to the stables and make sure that he was properly cared for. Dawn then raced through the many corridors of the castle and as he came nearer to reaching the room where Hitomi was staying, he drew his sword and ran further and further through the corridors his sword held firmly by his side. 

In the distance Dawn heard what he thought was the lady's voice shouting something in a panic and he raced quicker and quicker down the corridors almost knocking over Radian as he ran until finally he reached the door to the lady's room and without a second thought he shouted the words,   
"I'm coming M'lady" and with that he booted the door in and rushed in with his sword held up ready to defend against any attack. But as Dawn rushed in, he was shocked and unprepared for the sight that greeted him and it was obvious from the expression on Von's face as he stood in the frame of the window beside Hitomi's bed his wings extended and his body framed in the light of the early morning sun that he wasn't the only one. 

………. 

Hitomi had slept peacefully and she awoke to be greeted by the light of the early morning sun streaming through her open window onto a small part of the bottom of her bed. She had spent the night dreaming about Von and of how she they were strolling through the gardens of the palace laughing and talking just glad to be in the company of one another again. She lifted the covers off her bed up off herself and then got out of bed and walked over to the window and stared out what she considered to be one of the most beautiful and impressive sights she had ever seen. The view of course was of the newly built Fanellian capital with its high castle walls whose flags and banners blew lightly in the breeze and the defensive turrets standing like strong silent guardians their spires gleaming in the light of the sun. Always watchful over the lands of Fanellia and those who lived within the castle walls, a testament to King Von's promise to protect Fanellia and its people always. 

Even though Hitomi had only been in Fanellia a few days she was still amazed by what had happened in just 4 years. Von had managed to rebuild all that had been destroyed in the war with Zaibach and in the process create a capital city that was beautiful and a testament to the strength and dignity of the Fanellian people. Yet still maintain such a high level of defence that any potential attackers would have a hard time trying to launch a successful attack on the capital. It was also clear he hadn't even finished as buildings were still covered in scaffolding around the city. She made her way over to the small dressing table that was at the end of the room and found that all the things she needed to freshen up were there. There was a small wash hand basin, a jug of water, a small towel and a facecloth. 

Taking the jug of water Hitomi poured some of the water into the small basin and then dipping her hands into the water, She splashed some of the water onto her face. She found that the water was cool and refreshing and then taking the cloth she dipped it into the water and after ringing out some of the excess water. She cleaned her face, neck and body, then taking the small towel and drying herself off. She went over to the wardrobe and upon opening it up found it had a few sets of clothing inside. One could be considered as a noblewomen's dress, but not as ugly as Merles choices, another was what looked like ordinary Gaian clothes and the last some clothes that resembled her old school uniform. Upon closer inspection she found a little note attached to one of the dresses, she read it aloud without realizing it. 

_"Dearest Hitomi   
I still remember the first time that you visited Gaia and of how you hated to wear those stuffy noble clothes that Millerna tried to force onto you (and in some cases succeeded). I also remember how you preferred to wear the more casual clothes that you felt most comfortable in as opposed to larger frocks and dresses. Then when we found you lying out in the forest unconscious with no visible possessions other than what you were wearing, we searched the area surrounding where you fell in case like last time some of your own clothes had maybe travelled with you but when we were unable to find anything. I decided that you would need a few new sets of clothes. So instead of having my advisors or anyone else (like Merle) trying to dictate what sort of clothes you should be given, I stepped in and just made it clear that I alone would take care of it. _

So with you in mind Hitomi, I went to my tailors and told them that I needed a complete new wardrobe of clothes that was suitable for a lady but was both casual and comfortable while being completely different to many of the dresses and frocks that were so highly favoured by the nobles. Within two days they had come with several with more in production, all made with the finest and strongest materials that we possessed. 

I hope they are okay for you because if they are not then I can always get a new wardrobe made up that really is to your requirements instead.   
Love   
Von 

P.S. If Merle tries to force some other piece of clothing on to you saying that I have said that I want you to wear it she is probably lying so don't believe her." 

When she had completed the note she felt even more warm and happy inside than when she had seen that the clothes weren't horrid things. Hitomi then decided that she would wear one of the more casual peices, as she was anxious to see and talk to Von again. It was a long sleeved dress that was made of a fine material that was soft to the touch but when worn was warm in colder temperatures but was cool when in hotter temperatures and it was also comfortable while still being light and not too heavy. The dress itself was of a dark blue colour while the sleeves were the colour of gold and around the waist there was a belt made of a silken material that was like the colour of the sky. 

Whenever Hitomi had put the dress on she looked at herself once more in the mirror and could not believe how utterly beautiful the dress was. She then brushed her hair and began to make her way to her bedroom door when all of a sudden Merle burst in. The shock of her entry forced Hitomi to jump backwards in defence but Merle just burst out laughing,   
"It's okay Hitomi I was just coming to see if you were okay and also to escape from Radian who keep pestering me". 

"What, Von's not here but where did he go Merle," asked Hitomi but Merle was more interested in the dress that Hitomi was wearing. Merle was dazzled by the colours of the dress and couldn't take her eyes off it, it was then when Merle was distracted that Hitomi noticed that concealed behind Merles back there seemed to be a package of some sort. Hitomi then asked again,   
"Merle, where did Von go if Reeden is looking for him" Merle was snapped back into awareness by Hitomi's question, although it seemed to Hitomi that she seemed to have a sly glint in her eye, but ignored it as she was eager to hear where Von had gone.   
"Huh, oh Von, no you don't need to worry Hitomi, Von won't be much longer. Oh! That reminds me just you asking about Von he asked me to give you this just before he left" answered Merle with her sweetest smile and then produced a parcel neatly wrapped in green paper. Hitomi curious to see what more Von could possibly give her , unwrapped the parcel and found that inside was another dress. 

Then whenever she unfolded it what she saw was undoubtedly one of the ugliest dresses she had ever seen in her life and just looking at it filled her with disgust.   
"Von told you to give me this" asked Hitomi in shock but Merle answered "Well actually he didn't tell me to give it to you"   
At that moment Hitomi felt a slight relief but this feeling quickly sank when she heard the rest of what Merle had to say "He actually asked me if to ask you if you would wear it today" finished Merle. 

Hitomi stared at the dress again with its bright pink colour and luminous yellow trims and she began to feel slightly disgusted remembered what Von had written at the end of his letter about not trusting Merle. What Hitomi hadn't noticed however was that while she was standing staring at the dress Merle had silently crept to the other side of the bed. Then like a flash of lightning Merle jumped up onto the bed and lifted the dress from Hitomi and began to say ever so sweetly,   
"Come on Hitomi, you know you really love this dress, really, really love it".   
"come on Merle stop it! Stop fooling around, you're scaring me" Hitomi retorted but Merle jumped down off the bed still holding the dress and began adVoncing towards Hitomi with that same sweet smile. 

Hitomi who had begun backing away the moment Merle jumped off the bed bumped rather sorely into her dressing table knocking over the small jug of water. Then making a dash for her door as Merle had come too close for comfort. She pulled at it but it wouldn't come open until she gave up and turned to face Merle. Merle just smiled and held up a small silver key. Hitomi was now seriously frightened and began pleading with Merle   
"Merle! Please knock it off, come on this isn't funny anymore, you're starting to scare me now". Merle simply replied,   
"I'm sorry Hitomi but I'm afraid you're not leaving this room until you agree to wear this dress". Hitomi's fear peaked, she knew not only how stubborn Merle could be but also what he was capable of. She continued to back away until she had reached the bottom of the side of her bed that was opposite the window and then in an attempt to escape Merle she rolled over the bed and landed on her feet. 

Merle though was not easily surprised and because she had expected something like this followed Hitomi by jumping onto the bed and jumping down on to the other side. Hitomi her mind now buzzing with thoughts of how to try and escape Merle continued to back away until she finally banged into and, fell over the chair which Von had sat in while he was sleeping beside Hitomi's bed. Hitomi had placed the chair just the night before back in its spot beside the window and as a result of this she had fell over it while trying to back away from Merle, clearly forgetting it was there. 

Hitomi lay slumped against the back wall of her bedroom sore from her fall and tired of being chased. While Merle continued to adVonce on her until finally she was standing right over Hitomi and said,   
"Well Hitomi! You put up a good fight but now you can't escape anymore". Hitomi's heart sank even further at the prospect of having to meet Von her love in another hideous dress and then as if her heart's calls had been answered. She saw that a long shadow had been cast over her bed and the opposite wall of a winged figure. Her heart rejoiced at the sight of Von standing with his sword drawn and his wings extended, his whole body framed in the light of the early morning sun. Then all of a sudden just a few seconds after Von had flew to her window she heard a voice calling and then looked over to her door just in time to see it being kicked open by Dawn who rushed into the room with his sword also drawn. Hitomi began to smile again as she knew that she was finally safe again from that horrible dress and from Merle trying to force it upon her. Merle groaned and dropped the dress onto the bed,   
"Ok Hitomi you win, you don't have to wear it!" 

END OF PART TWO   
…   
Sundance   
…   
15.10.00 

THE SHROUDED IN SHADOW ODYSSEY CONTINUEDS SOON   
AND IN 'THE DESCENDED SHADOW' 

Authors Message 

Well, I have finally completed chapter II and I am proud to present it to you here. It has taken me months to complete this chapter as I has to balance work on this chapter and developing characters, places, and furthering the story itself. The character that has received the most attention to detail has been the character of Dawn Kosime. 

The reason this character in particular has received the most attention is because he was the first character that I'm creating myself and who wasn't connected to the original series or its film. Although I would like to assure you that I have not sacrificed any of the other characters in order to develop this one character. I have tried to ensure that every character will be developed fully and have their own stories as I hope to stay true to the original, while still showing what has happened in the time between. 

I also hope to show more of the world of Gaia by showing its peoples and their cultures. Also, over the space of the next few months I am hoping to start writing my own history to shadows of the past as well as a character section for anyone interested on finding out more about the writing and development of the story and characters. Along with Dawn there is a mystery character who can not yet be revealed who has received a lot of attention. I will tell you however that they both affect both Dawns present and future as well has having a huge effect on the Descended Shadow (Butch Cassidys Parallel running Fan Fiction) 

When writing this chapter I tried to pay attention to the atmosphere of certain parts of the story such as the scenes in the forest and the scenes between Hitomi and Merle. One of my influences on this story was J.R.R. Tolkien as I am a huge fan of the Lord Of The Rings for both the Books and the Films. However, I would like to make it clear from the off set that I'm not trying to imitate him or his works. What I am merely trying to do is explain characters, places, and weapons to give the reader an idea of the cultures of each of the Gaia countries. 

This is also why I have been working closely with BFFF artist Sheng in order to further illustrate those cultures. So that's it really and if you want to know more about the histories and cultures I will have the history and Bios up soon on Butch's site (www.butchsforum.co.uk), so until chapter 3 this is Sundance saying see ya later. 

….   
END   
…. 


	3. Secrets of a forgotten age

_A Vision Of Escaflowne_   
**Shadows Of The Past   
Chapter 3**   
_Secrets of a forgotten age_

**Disclaimer** – Escaflowne is not mine, the characters and story are the property of Bandai entertainment. The story and characters of 'The Descend Shadow' or 'Shadows of the Past' are the property of Butchs Fan Fiction Forum.co.uk. Before use of these characters or elements of the story please get permission from Butch Cassidy at butchsvideostop@Tiscali.co.uk 

Visit the Home of 'The Descended Shadow' at www.butchsforum.co.uk 

... 

"Hitomi, I can't apologize enough for what Merle pulled earlier" Von told her, "I will have a talk to her, and I will have a new door fitted by nightfall. You do understand Dawn was just trying to protect you, don't you?" 

"I know Von; I could see he was just trying to protect me. I can't tell you how grateful I am, if it wasn't for you two I would have been forced into that horrid dress" Hitomi told him with a shudder, "But it is great to get away from it all, after the shock Merle gave me this morning" With a laugh, Hitomi got to her feet. 

"I could feel how afraid you were Hitomi and I was scared that I may have lost you again. Since you have been here I have felt as if I have walked into a dream, a dream I feared would be shattered" Von told her, a quiver of fear in his voice. Feeling his pain Hitomi comforted him, with a touch on his shoulder 

"No matter what happens I will always be with you" Hitomi said, lowering her head onto his shoulder. Feeling the warmth of her touch Von put his arms around her and held her close. 

"Hitomi I will always be there to love and care for you" Hitomi felt her heart leap for joy as she sat on the smooth marble, wrapped warmly in Vons embrace. He had now closed his eyes as the shadow of a statue carved in the likeness of his mother fell over them. Her wings outspread, shimmering in the light, a remembrance not only of Von's mother but of his Atlantean heritage and his promise to protect his country and its people always.   
"Von" Hitomi asked.   
"Hmm" Von answered.   
"There's something that I have been curious about" Hitomi asked. 

"Oh, and what would that be" Von replied opening his eyes again.   
"Well, I've been wondering about Dawn" Hitomi answered.   
"What do you mean" Von asked.   
"Well I was just wondering how you know him." Hitomi asked now looking straight into his eyes. 

"I guess I'll start from the beginning then shall I" Von asked Hitomi.   
"Are you sure you don't mind" Hitomi answered as she now wasn't very sure if she had done the right thing asking. Von gave a slight nod in acknowledgement.   
"Okay then, Hitomi do you remember Balgus" Von asked.   
"Yes, how could I ever forget after what he did for us".   
"Well not long after you went back to the mystic moon. I decided that the best way to honour his memory was to give him a hero's burial. I had word sent out all over Gaia that the burial was taking place. So in the lead up to the burial, people from all over Gaia began to come in order to honour Balgus' memory. I was surprised at the amount of people who came to the burial as I knew that Balgus was a friend to many. What I didn't realise however was just how many friends he had. 

Anyway when the burial ceremony was over and most people were starting to leave a lone figure remained. He came up to me and asked if I would need a bodyguard. I was unsure at first but then I asked him why he thought I would need a bodyguard. He then told me of how Balgus had been a close friend of both his and his parents and that as he was growing up Balgus had done a lot to help him and that he wanted to honour Balgus' memory by becoming my bodyguard. The person he died protecting" Von explained. 

"So needless to say I agreed and little did I know then of how wise a decision I had actually made. He would become one of my most loyal and trusted companions. Of course it took Merle a while to fully trust Dawn herself as she was naturally distrustful but as she got to know him better this faded. This then meant that out of all my friends and advisors, Dawn and Merle were really the only people that I could confide in" Von said. Hitomi suddenly felt a greater appreciation for this man who had been such a true friend to Von while she was away. 

"It seems like I really do have a lot of things to thank Dawn for" Hitomi said jokingly and started to laugh although she did mean what she had said. Von knew this but still started to laugh slightly. Once they stopped laughing Hitomi asked curiously.   
"Okay, so you've told me now how you met Dawn but come on please tell me why Dawn is so silent all the time" 

"Well as my bodyguard Dawn has to remain in the shadows mostly and make sure that there are no threats to my safety. Now both Dawn and I know that I am fully capable of protecting myself but there are some instances when it is good that he is there watching my back. Sometimes when I am unable to see everything that is going on around me and Dawn has been there watching everything and checking for any sign of danger" Von said.   
"What do you mean" Hitomi asked curiously sitting watching his expression. 

"Well how about we get up and stretch our legs I'll tell you all about it. Okay" Von suggested now looking at Hitomi.   
"Okay then" Hitomi answered.   
They got to their feet, Von placed his arm around Hitomi again as they started to walk around the gardens looking at the many hedges, trees and flowers with their many scents and colours. Von continued to tell Hitomi about Dawn. 

"So anyway there was this one occasion where I was invited to a banquet that Chid was holding. I was talking to Chid when out of nowhere these masked assailants began to abseil down from the roof". A look of concern spread over Hitomi's face.   
"It's okay Hitomi just wait to you hear the rest of the story. So anyway these masked assailants began to abseil down from the roof. Seeing the assailants all the men present including the Freidan Royal Guards drew their swords ready for battle. However, it turned out that we really had no need" Von explained as Hitomi's look of shock and fear turning to one of surprise and curiosity. 

"What do you mean?" Hitomi asked. 

"Well as we soon found out whenever the assailants landed and we walked over to investigate. We found that they were all dead, as they had been shot numerous times with multiple arrows before we had even realised that they were there. Dawn then came forward and explained that while we had all been sitting enjoying the banquet. He had noticed them coming down from the roof and had shot them all dead using his bow before they had the chance to cause any serious damage" Von answered. 

"Yes whenever I first met Dawn I thought that I could see a bow and a quiver full of arrows on his back. Although I wasn't sure as I didn't think that bows and arrows were still used on Gaia" Hitomi said. 

"Well you're right in what you are saying Hitomi as we gave up the old methods of fighting a long time ago in favour of other methods. Dawn however still practises the old ways, such as archery and fighting with a long-sword instead of a curved sword the way that I have been taught. That is why are fighting styles are so different, as I am now skilled at using a curved blade whereas Dawn is skilled in both archery and in wielding a long-sword" Von told Hitomi as they walked further and further through the royal gardens. 

"Von" Hitomi said.   
"Yes" Von answered.   
"Merle told me yesterday that the only time that you and Dawn get to talk is when you are sparring" Hitomi asked curiously.   
"Well Merle is right to an extent" Von answered.   
"What do you mean" Hitomi asked. 

"It is one of the times whenever we get to talk properly but it is not the only time. As myself and Dawn regularly talk except of course whenever there are meetings to attend or I am attending to guests".   
"I have another question, if you don't mind about Dawn" Hitomi said.   
"With all these questions about Dawn I think I may have a rival for your affections" Von said jokingly. 

Hitomi blushed slightly but not before replying defensively "Von, you know that you're the one that I love". They then walked on through the gardens in silence, Hitomi felt scared that maybe Von didn't feel quite the same way about her or maybe he had taken her questions about Dawn the wrong way. However it was not long before the silence was broken when Von stopped and whispering into Hitomi's ear said. 

"I love you more than words could ever express and I will always be there for you, so you don't have to worry anymore" as he finished speaking he kissed Hitomi on the cheek. Hitomi could feel herself blushing even more as well as feeling as if she was now walking ten feet taller. Von then felt Hitomi's hand slipping into his as they walked and together they continued to walk hand in hand around the garden. 

All who saw the young king in the gardens was happy to see him happy again, after all the pain and hardship that he had endured in his young life. So it was that Hitomi and Von continued to walk around the expansive gardens with their many flowers, trees and sculptures of various shapes and sizes each depicting something different but all as beautiful and detailed as one another. 

Von then stopped by a large tree its branches twisting and turning in all directions with its leaves sparkling in the morning sunlight. He led Hitomi behind the tree. Hitomi saw a small arch leading through an expansive hedge, light poured through illuminating the grass and flowers. 

"Come with me" Von asked leading Hitomi through the arch, it lead out onto a small green plain, a sheer drop at the end. But it was what lay before Hitomi that almost took her breath away as it was the entire view of the city that lay before the castle. The people below going about their daily lives.   
"Lets sit here for a while okay, Hitomi" Von asked. Hitomi smiled agreeing   
"So what did you want to know about Dawn" Von asked.   
"Why is he so mysterious?" Hitomi asked. 

"Yeah, I suppose he is kind of mysterious but I don't really know that much about Dawn's past" Von replied.   
"You don't?" Hitomi asked. 

"Well at the start neither myself nor Dawn would tell the other very much. But as we became friends we began to trust one another more and more. We also started to talk more and open up to one another more. At the start Dawn wouldn't tell either Merle or myself very much but as time went on he started to open up more and more. Even though, I still know very little about his time before he came to Fanelia" Von said. 

Then as they sat there on the hill looking out over the city and the people below, Hitomi could feel the sun warming her face and body. Von then lay back on the grass staring up at the sky listening to the peace and quiet that surrounded him, looking over he saw that Hitomi was also lying on her back staring up at the sky. 

"Von, what's going to happen now" Hitomi asked turning her head to look over at Von. 

Von turned looking into her eyes,   
"I don't know what's going to happen. We have the meeting tonight… It shall decide all but don't worry about it now. Let's just enjoy the peace of the morning"   
Moving closer he placed his arm around her. Hitomi in turn placed her head on Von's chest and together they lay there the peace of the morning and the pleasure of just being together. 

… 

Dawn tired from his early morning workout decided to go for a rest. As Dawn entered the room and then closed the door again he unclipped his cloak, placing his brooch on a small table near the window. He folded up the cloak and placed it on a wooden chair that was near his bed. His bedroom was large, spacious with high roof beams that had the symbol of the dragon engraved into them and at the end of the room below the bed there was a large arch where two windows were positioned. Over in the bottom corner of the room lay Dawn's bow and his quiver full of finally fletched green arrows. Dawn unclipped his belt with his sword sheath attached and placed it in the corner besides his bow and quiver. Taking his dagger out of its sheath he placed it beside his brooch on the small table near the windows and took his sword from its sheath and placed it carefully at the side of the small table joining his dagger and brooch. Then taking off his soft leather boots and placing them underneath the chair where his cloak now lay he laid down on top of the bed and found himself drifting into sleep while he looked up at the ceiling with its finely carved solid rafters. 

When Dawn awoke he found that he was lying on top of a completely different bed in a room that was strange in appearance to him. He slowly got off the bed and felt the cold smooth stones beneath his feet and then walking to the end of the room he looked out of the windows and saw a large city in the distance with what appeared to be a forest running around the perimeter of the city. At first he thought he was looking at Fanelia but whenever he looked closer he could see that this was not the case as this city was close to some sort of river or lake. Dawn then began to make his way to the door and when he opened it and stepped out he found that he was now standing in a long corridor. It had a roof that was covered in many different drawings and designs but for some reason he was unable to make out what they were showing. 

He then began to walk down the corridor and as he did he saw that were many windows through which large rays of light streamed through. When Dawn came to the end he turned a corner to the right and found that he was now standing in a large wide-open space. As Dawn walked around he could see that this room as well had designs and drawings that ran along the ceiling and in this room also there were several windows, which lay at the top of the back wall. There were also pillars that ran from the door that Dawn had just come through right up to the back wall and he also noticed that this was the same case for the right side of the room. The pillars were all finely carved with patterns and designs that went all the way around them. Dawn then began to walk up to the top of the room and saw that in the middle there was a tall arch with no door that led out to a large courtyard filled with many different trees that were all in full bloom. 

He also noticed that on either side of the door there were three arches that were made of the same white stone as the rest of the room and they also had no windows in the same way that the tall arch had no door. Dawn thought to himself that they were most likely carved out of the very wall itself. As he explored the room further he was amazed at its sheer size and at how beautiful it was with its many designs and patterns all over. It was then as he came near the bottom of the room that he noticed that the light from the high windows was actually streaming down on to the back of two high backed chairs. When Dawn came to the chairs he saw that they were beautifully carved in a fine wood possibly oak with high backs and long arm rests on each chair and as well as this it seemed that the chairs had been carved to a specific design or theme although he could not quite place it. 

It was as he was looking over the chairs trying to place their theme, which seemed to constantly elude him that he became aware of someone standing at the doorway to the right of him. Whenever he looked over he saw that standing in the doorway was a man who was tall in stature but young of face. He only looked to be in his mid to late twenties and wore a long green cloak and had thick brown hair and was girt with a long sword that hung at his left side.   
"Father" Dawn said astonished as at the mention of this the man gave a small smile and began to walk away. Immediately Dawn ran through the doorway as well and began to chase after his father. He then found himself running through a darkened corridor trying to catch up with his father until all of a sudden he found himself running into blinding light. Suddenly he tripped and fell into the blinding light and found that not far away another figure was lying motionless on the ground. Crawling over to where the figure lay he turned him over and found that it was his father staring back at him through lifeless eyes.   
"No, Father Please Wake Up, Father No Don't Leave Me Again" Dawn said his eyes burning with tears. 

"No!" Dawn shouted as he beat his fists against the hard solid stone. 

"Father!" Dawn screamed as he awoke suddenly his face covered in sweat as he quickly looked around the room and realised that he was awake again and back in his bedroom in Fanel. After he had wiped the sweat from his face using a small face towel he laid his head back into the comfort of the soft pillows and found himself remembering old memories of his parents. His mother so fair and beautiful with her long red hair shining in the light of the sun and his father so tall and strong. Dawn remembered their small home on the edge of the woods. His mother sitting in a small wooden chair at the doorway of they're home smiling as she watched his father teaching Dawn how to hold a sword and then how to fight with it. Dawn thought to himself of how dearly he missed them and what he would give just to be able to sit and talk with them once more. 

He lifted himself up from the bed and Dawn looked over at the windows, seeing that the sun was still shining brightly he decided to go for a walk into town and get something to eat, he didn't feel hungry for palace food. So putting his soft leather boots on once more and lacing them up he made his way over to the corner of the room where he had left his belt with its few utility pouches and sheathes for both his sword and his dagger. Lifting the belt up he placed it around his waist and clipped the buckle shut and then lifting his sword from its resting place at the side of the small table he placed it back in its sheath which now hung at his left side. Then from the small table again he lifted his dagger and slipped it back into its sheath, which hung, directly on his belt but at his right side. The dagger made a slight click as Dawn slid it back into its sheath and then lifting his cloak from the chair that stood near his bed and placing it over his back and shoulders he lifted the small rounded brooch that still lay on the table near the window and clipped it into place on his cloak. 

Dawn then opened the door to his small room and made his way through the many corridors of the castle with their many entrances to various parts of the castle sometimes passing an advisor of Von's or some other person who worked in the castle. Until finally he came to the castle courtyard and started walking down when he noticed that one of the stable hands was running up to the castle who he soon recognised as Gercop one of the head stable hands. Dawn shouted to him asking him to wait and he began to walk over to where Gercop now stood waiting for him. 

"Good morning Dawn" The stable hand said.   
"Good morning Gercop. I was wondering about my horse if he has been tended to like I asked" Dawn replied.   
"Now Dawn you should know better than to ask questions like that. Of course he has been tended to and fed as well" Gercop answered.   
"I apologise but it's just that I am going into town and I wanted to make sure that he had been seen to" Dawn answered.   
"No its okay but I am afraid I can't stay as I have to get back to the castle" Gercop said.   
"Okay, thanks Gercop" Dawn replied. 

Dawn walked back down through the courtyard leaving Gercop to make his way back up to the castle. It did not take Dawn long to reach enter the city. From amount of people who seemed to be town Dawn guessed a large market was being held today. 

So slowly Dawn began to make his way through the large crowd and was even approached a few times by traders trying to peddle their goods. Dawn however just politely replied that he was just passing through and wasn't interested in buying anything. This was not entirely untrue as after seeing the amount of people who were in town today he gave up on any thoughts of looking around and instead decided to just go straight to somewhere he could get something to eat. Dawn decided that the best place to go was a little inn near the centre of town that he was fond of as they served good meals and had even better music. Once Dawn reached the centre of town he went down a little side alley that some shops running along the right side of the lane whereas the rest apart from the inn of course were all houses. 

As Dawn opened the door he felt the heat of a warm fire and the throb of people talking and enjoying themselves as he entered the room. At the top of the room there was a large fireplace that had a small fire burning, its flames flickering and dancing in the heat. Dawn made his way over to the bar he looked around and saw that fortunately there wasn't two many people in as they must all be out at the market. As Dawn was ordering his meal he noticed a familiar face standing at the end of the bar.   
"Hello Gaddes" Dawn greeted him.   
"Oh, Hello Dawn are you trying to escape all the crowds as well" Gaddes asked. 

"Well you could say that. Do you want to get a table" Dawn replied.   
"Sure" Gaddes said. So after Dawn had made his order the two made their way over to a table at the back wall where they could talk in peace without any interruptions. The two sat for a while talking about what was new with each of them. Changing the subject they began to talk about some of their previous adventures and laughing about funny things that had either happened to them or funny things that they had witnessed happening to friends or colleagues. Whenever they were in the middle of their conversation Dawn's meal was brought over to him, which he thanked the bar maid for and then he proceeded to order two more drinks, a juice for himself and an ale for Gaddes. Dawn asked Gaddes once more was he sure that he didn't want anything and Gaddes thanking him for the offer said that he had already eaten and wasn't hungry. 

So it was that the two men continued to talk among themselves in the corner where they were sitting. Their conversation inevitably turned towards the events of the past few days. Concerning the return of Hitomi and all the events that had taken place afterwards such as Dawn's early morning fight with Von. 

"So you took a shot at Von did you?" Gaddes asked tauntingly.   
"Why. Do you think that I can't hold my own against Von?" Dawn retorted.   
"Oh! Well from what I heard about yesterday, it sounded like you were losing pretty badly" Gaddes shot back accusingly.   
"All that ale must be going to your head Gaddes as I was winning that duel" Dawn said laughing.   
"Well is that so, well I am afraid that's not what I was told by Alan and a few of the other guys who were watching" Gaddes said. 

"Oh really, well if it hadn't of been for Alan interrupting our battle, everyone there would have seen me come out the winner" Dawn replied.   
"Yeah right but why did you choose to fight with Von this morning" Gaddes asked.   
"That's simple Gaddes. I wanted a rematch, where Alan couldn't interrupt us and I could test his skills against an unknown enemy at the same time" Dawn answered.   
"Don't you thinking you might be getting a bit of big head there Dawn" Gaddes replied.   
"That's funny, that's almost the same thing that Von said this morning when he found out that it was me" Dawn said. 

"So I guess that Von won then" Gaddes said before he started to look at the look of fake shock on Dawn's face.   
"That hurts Gaddes that really hurts. No actually it was a draw… Again." Dawn answered.   
"Yeah unfortunately, although I have to admit that does make things slightly more interesting" Gaddes replied.   
"Oh is that right" Dawn asked curiously.   
"Yes it does. It makes the guys betting stakes a lot better," Gaddes said and with that both men burst out laughing.   
"Hey Dawn" Gaddes asked while wiping the tears from his eyes.   
"Yeah" Dawn answered while wiping the tears from his eyes.   
"What do you think about this whole elixir of atlantis thing" Gaddes asked almost whispering. 

"Well I believe that it is real but it is just finding the damn thing that is going to be the problem" Dawn answered just as the sound of the inn door opening and closing again caught his attention. Turning around he saw a man walk up to the bar, he had thick grey hair and a short grey beard and he looked as if he was in his mid fifty's to early sixty's. Turning around to face Gaddes again Dawn asked,   
"Want another drink"   
"Why, who's the old guy at the bar" Gaddes asked curious to see what Dawn wanted the old guy for. 

"That old guy is as healthy and energetic as what you or I are and he is also the unofficial lore master of all Fanelia as he knows all the old myths, legends and secrets about Gaia" Dawn replied and at the mention of this Gaddes became more interested in hearing what Dawn had to say about this man.   
"It also helps that he is an old friend of mine"   
"You know Dawn I think I well have another drink" Gaddes answered as he rose up from his chair. Dawn joined him and made their way to the bar. With Dawn beside the old man with his face turned to the left so he could talk to the men while Gaddes stood with his back to the bar. 

"Hello Sercole" Dawn said politely.   
"Well hello Dawn. What can I do for you" Sercole answered.   
"Sercole I was actually looking for some information and I was hoping that you could help me" Dawn asked.   
"Well tell me what you need and if I can I'll do my best to help you out" Sercole replied.   
"Thank you but do you mind if we talk in private" Dawn asked. 

"That's okay but I just want to get a drink first" Sercole said and was just about to order his drink whenever Gaddes who had stood silently beside Dawn said,   
"That's okay I'll get these while you and Dawn go back to our table. What would you like?"   
"I'll have an ale, thanks" Sercole answered.   
"Okay" and motioning to the bar maid who soon came over and asked was everyone okay.   
"Yes thank you but could I have two ales and a juice please" Gaddes asked. 

"Certainly sir, I'll bring them over to you now" the barmaid answered.   
"Thank you" Gaddes replied after he paid her for their drinks and made his way back to the table in the corner where Sercole and Dawn now sat. When he got to the table he found that they were already deep in conversation.   
"Sercole, I need information on the elixir of atlantis and I was wondering if you could help me" Dawn was asking.   
"The elixir of Atlantis? I've heard of it but I don't really know anything about it, other than its momentous healing properties" Sercole replied. 

"You must know something about it, please anything you can tell me will be helpful" Dawn asked.   
"I am sorry Dawn but I am afraid that I really don't know very much about it.", he told Dawn, "But there is a man in Cesario. A friend of mine who may know about it. He knows a lot about Atlantis. His name is Yakumo Kosime" Sercole replied.   
"Thank you Sercole" Dawn answered.   
"Think nothing of it, just one friend helping out another" Sercole replied. It was at that moment that the barmaid came over with their drinks. 

"Here you go lads, two ales and a juice," she said.   
"Thanks Sarah" Dawn said.   
"No problem Dawn" Sarah answered as she made her way back to the bar.   
"Sarah?" Gaddes said.   
"Yeah that's her name, Sarah" Dawn replied.   
"Answer me a question" Gaddes asked.   
"What" Dawn answered.   
"Is there anyone in Fanelia that you don't know, Dawn" Gaddes asked before giving a short laugh. 

"Well I know the answer, so you'd better tell the man Dawn" Sercole said.   
"Right then. The answer Gaddes is no. I know everyone in Fanelia" Dawn replied.   
"Okay you have answered my first question but you have still got one more to answer" Gaddes said.   
"Yes and what would that be" Dawn asked.   
"How do you know the barmaid" Gaddes said curiously.   
Dawn started to laugh and then said accusingly "Why are you jealous". 

"No but I was just wondering how do you know a beautiful young woman like that" Gaddes said shooting an accusing glance at Dawn.   
"Hey back off Gaddes, I know Sarah because she is a friend of mine I normally come to this inn" Dawn answered. Then shooting a Gaddes a glance that could have split a rock in half asked,   
"Now are you satisfied Gaddes" 

"Yes I am and I also apologise but you can't blame a man for being curious" Gaddes replied.   
"Okay lets talk no more of it and we will call the matter settled, okay" Dawn said as both his expression and the tone in his voice lightened. 

"That's good as I always hate to see two friends fighting especially after one of them has bought me a drink" Sercole said, all three men looked at each other and started laughing.   
The three men sat and talked until it was starting to grow dark and more importantly they had finished their drinks. Then taking their leave from Sercole and thanking him for his help Dawn and Gaddes got up from their seats and made their way down to the bar. Dawn paid his bill,   
"Thank you Sarah the meal was beautiful as always" 

"Thank you Dawn as ever you remain one of my best and most pleasant customers" Sarah replied.   
"I'd also like to thank you for the good ale as it was the best I have tasted in a long time" Gaddes said.   
"Why thank you kind sir for your gracious words as it's not often that someone other than Dawn thanks me for either the food that I serve or the drinks that I pour" Sarah said and it seemed to Gaddes and to Dawn who was standing silently at the door that she was blushing slightly.   
"Well thank you and goodbye" Gaddes said as he made his way towards the door.   
"Goodbye and maybe we'll meet again someday" Sarah said as she gave a little smile at Gaddes who merely nodded his head in acknowledgement as he and Dawn made their way out the door closing it behind them again. 

It was early evening when they left the inn and made their way back up through the now deserted streets of the town.   
"Dawn" Gaddes said.   
"Yeah" Dawn replied. 

"Why is she working in a place like that? She appears bright." Gaddes asked curiously.   
"Work there! She owns the inn. I have known her for a good few years now. Though I don't think it would be prudent for me to give you here life story, though I can tell you she's not married" Dawn told him, rising his eyebrow slightly.   
"Shes not married, you say?" Gaddes asked even more curiously.   
"That's what I'm saying" Dawn answered. 

"Have you ever asked her out" Gaddes asked. Then stopping and turning towards Gaddes he said   
"No I haven't. Don't get me wrong Sarah is beautiful and I do love her dearly but just not like that. I love Sarah as a friend and nothing more. Besides I'm not the one that she was looking at from behind the bar" Dawn answered. Gaddes looked at Dawn inquisitively and then the pair started to walk on to the edge of the city as Gaddes turned what Dawn had just said over in his head over and over again. As they came to the outer battlements of the castle and started to walk through them Dawn seeing that Gaddes was lost in thought said   
"From the look on your face I would say that the feeling was mutual" 

"Huh, what, well its just that in all my travels I have never seen a woman as beautiful as her" Gaddes replied.   
"Are you serious or are you just thinking on how good the ale was" Dawn asked.   
"No I mean it, I really have never saw a woman as beautiful as her before although I would rather just keep it between us" Gaddes replied. 

"That's okay but I think that you should talk a bit more to her someday on your own. Hey you never know you might find that you both have something in common." Dawn said.   
"You know I wish I could but I think it will have to wait as I think that the crew will be leaving tomorrow. Although I think I will see her before we leave" Gaddes answered. 

"Well that's okay, I'll tell her first thing in the morning that your coming down to see her" Dawn said laughing as he started to run the rest of the way through the outer battlements as he came closer to the gate of the main castle.   
"Don't you dare Kosime" Gaddes shouted to Dawn as he chased after him until eventually both men stopped at the main gate to the castle so as to get their breath back after the long run. Once they got their breath back they looked at one another and started laughing once more as they walked through the main gate and then up through the courtyard. 

"We really are a pair of jokers" Gaddes said as they walked into the castle.   
"Well you said it, not me" Dawn replied. As they made their way through the halls of the castle they met Alan who was walking down the far end and he smiled as he came closer.   
"Have a good drink" Alan asked.   
"Yes we did thanks Alan and I can tell you that we are the better for it" Dawn answered.   
"So I see" Alan replied with a short laugh, "Come on the meetings is just about to begin. And we can't have an important meeting without the Kings bodyguard, now can we?" 

... 

The fire dully crackled and burned into the night as the group sat around the main table within Vons personal study, each discussing what their next course of action should be. The table itself was made from solid oak and had engraved in its legs winding symbols of the city of Fanel and of the history of Fanelia. Handcrafted by some of the finest craftsmen in all of Gaea and had been given to Von as a gift by Princess Milerna of Asturia as both a token of their friendship but also as a sign of peace and support between the two nations. Von thought it was fitting to have it in his study, a place where he could go and think or just sit and read by the light of the fireplace. 

On some occasions when he was feeling down he would come and sit by the comfort of the open fire in the hearth thinking back to all the summers he had spent as a child with his older brother Folken and with the Princess Milerna, when her father came on royal business. Such thoughts though were far from his mind as they had more important matters to attend too. There was silence all around the room as everyone present waited for Von to officially open the meeting. 

As Von sat silently in his chair at the top end of the table just below the small fireplace his sheathed sword strapped to the back of his chair. Hitomi sat in a chair at the top left of the table near to where Von sat. She watched the look on his face as he thought of how to begin. Merle was seated on the right hand side of the table with Gaddes sat beside her wondering what was coming next and Alan sat at the bottom of the table facing where Von now sat. Finally a lone figure sat at the end of the room in the shadows with his face only slightly illuminated by the glow of the small fire that he sat beside, his cloak now removed from his shoulders while his sword which now rested inside its sheath was propped against the legs of his chair while a quiver full of arrows which also held his bow was strapped to the chair. While the swords of both Alan and Gaddes like Von's were strapped to the back of their chairs. 

"We are here to decide our next course of action, Now all afternoon I with the help of both Merle and Hitomi we have searched the Fanelian archives for any information about the elixir of Atlantis. We did find some information though regarding the elixir. Hitomi found something as she will now tell you herself" Von finished and then looking over at Hitomi gave her a little smile as if to reassure her. Grateful to Von for this look of encouragement, Hitomi nodded her head slightly in acknowledgment and said. 

"Thank you Von. It was as I was searching though some old scrolls and some old books that I come across a series of passages that confirmed what the tablet says about first having to find the three objects and bringing them to the Mystic Valley". Everyone present listened closely to what Hitomi had to say as she told of what she had found in the passages of the book. 

"The passages mentioned the three objects, The Tree Of Life, The Snake Of Health and The Sword of Victory, and that the quest to find them is not an easy one…" She told them   
"Mystic objects always are, aren't they?" Gaddes said jokingly and everyone including Hitomi started to laugh. Then when they had all stopped laughing Gaddes said "I'm sorry Hitomi, please continue" as he wiped the tears from his eyes. 

"It's okay Gaddes. So as I was saying it mentioned the difficulty before we even make it to the Mystic Valley, which as I remember wasn't fun in itself. It then mentioned that once the mystical valley is reached there are several trials, which are unique to each person who undertakes them and which must be completed. Before ……". 

"Oh wonderful as if things weren't hard enough already!" Gaddes called out. There was a low whistle in the air and Gaddes sprang up out of his seat.   
"WHOAH!" Looking at the seat where Gaddes had been sitting only a few seconds before Hitomi saw that embedded in the arm of the chair there was a silver tip attached to a long brown shaft that had finally fletched feathers that had been dyed green attached to it. Before Gaddes had a chance to say anything, Dawn stood up from his seat, bow in hand, arrow notched on to the now pulled back string and began to walk forwards. 

"Now Gaddes, if you interrupt Hitomi once more with anything other than a sensible and releVont question. I will be forced to send another arrow your way and this time I won't let it miss". Dawn said. Then putting up his hands in defeat with an expression half of embarrassment and half of humour. Gaddes sat down and said.   
"Okay, Okay, I won't interrupt again."   
"You Promise!" Dawn replied.   
"Yes, Yes, I promise, just put that thing away you psycho" Gaddes answered.   
"Good" Dawn said as he lowered his bow and un notched his arrow. 

"Here! I think this is yours" Gaddes said as he pulled out the arrow from the arm of his chair as he began to sit down again and handed it back to Dawn. Dawn smiled and returned to his chair.   
While Dawn was taking care of Gaddes interruptions. Hitomi looked at Von who was trying to stifle a laugh and then seeing the look on Gaddes face, she tried to hold in her own laughter and keep her composure while both Merle and Alan laughed at the situation.   
"M'lady, please, continue". Dawn told Hitomi. Once she had managed to fully resist the urge to start laughing, Hitomi began once more. 

"Oh, yes, well, um, as I was saying once these trials have been completed. The three objects must be presented before the guardian of the elixir as proof before he will engage you in combat to see if you are worthy enough to be given the elixir".   
"What, so we have ….." Gaddes suddenly stopped as he became painfully aware of the sound of a string being pulled back under high tension. Looking up he saw that which he feared, Dawn was now standing up with his bow aimed and ready to fire.   
"This better be good Gaddes!" Dawn said.   
"Oh, Never mind, it wasn't that important anyway" Gaddes replied. Once again Dawn lowered his bow and returned back to his seat. 

"Is there anything else that you wanted to tell us M'lady" Dawn asked.   
"No, I think that's really it, unless anyone has any questions" Hitomi replied.   
Nobody spoke leaving the room in silence, other than the crackling of the fire.   
"Alan?" Hitomi asked   
"Yes Hitomi" Alan answered.   
"Forgive me for asking this but how is Celena today" Hitomi asked cautiously.   
"Don't worry Hitomi there is nothing to forgive and to answer your question she is fine. Thankfully that worm Dilandau hasn't tried anything so it's meant that she has been able to have some peace although unfortunately she can't be left alone without someone watching over her" Alan replied after seeing the look of caution and concern on Hitomi's face. 

"Alan, we will find the elixir and cure Celena so that she may finally be at and also have peace" Von said.   
"Thank you Von and thank you everyone for your support and continuing help. You have no idea how greatly it is appreciated" Alan replied. 

Hitomi returned to her seat and Von asked,   
"Now has anyone else found anything out concerning the elixir and its resting place"   
"Well I have something if I can get it out without fear of being shot by my good friend Dawn up there" Gaddes said.   
Laughing Von replied "What is it Gaddes, please tell us".   
"Well it's really Dawn who found this information out and it would be better if he told you" Gaddes replied. 

Then as everyone started looking up at where Dawn had been quietly sitting waiting to hear what Dawn now had found. As he saw that all eyes were now facing him, Dawn stood up and walked forward.   
"Well when Gaddes and I were in town when I met an old friend who is very knowledgeable in the many myths and legends of Gaea. I asked him did he know anything about the elixir and he told me that unfortunately he didn't. Although he did say he knows a man in Cesario who he thinks will be able to help us" Dawn told them.   
"Alan" Dawn asked.   
"Yes Dawn" Alan replied.   
"Is there any chance that you will be stopping at Cesario on your way home" Dawn asked.   
"I was just planning to head straight back but if you want. I don't mind hanging around Cesario for a couple of days if you want quick transportation and I don't think the men will mind. What do you think Gadde's?"   
"No, I don't think that the men would mind" Gadde's replied.   
"It's settled then" Alan said.   
"Thank you Alan. I appreciate this" Dawn answered.   
"Think nothing of it" Alan replied. 

Then standing up beside Dawn, Von said.   
"Okay then, so Dawn you are going to go to Cesario and to try and gather more information. While I've decided that I'm going to stay here in Fanelia and search with the help of Hitomi and Merle, for more information" Von said.   
"Once I get back to Asturia I'll also try to find more information about the elixir" Alan said. 

"Okay then, so we're all going to try and gain more information about the elixir. So we will meet back here after a full cycle of the moon." Von said.   
"That's okay with me" Alan answered.   
"The same" Gaddes answered.   
"I'm ready" Hitomi answered.   
"No problem" Merle answered.   
"Okay" Dawn answered. 

"Good, now I think we should all retire and get some rest for the morning" Von said. 

Everyone rose up from their seats and taking their possessions made their way out of the room. First Alan followed by Gaddes and then Merle and then finally Dawn.   
"Goodnight Von" Dawn said.   
"Will discuss this more in the morning before you leave. Okay" Von answered.   
"That's no problem" Dawn replied.   
Then turning to Hitomi. Dawn bowed his head and said.   
"Goodnight M'lady, may you have a peaceful rest".   
"Um, thank you Dawn and may your rest also be peaceful" Hitomi answered.   
"M'lady" Dawn answered and then made his way out of the room. Finally it was just Von and Hitomi left in the room. 

"Come on Hitomi. I'll walk with you back to your room" Von said.   
"Thank you Von" Hitomi answered.   
As Von looked behind him at the small fireplace he saw that the fire had now burned itself out. Then placing his arm around Hitomi's they walked from the room. As they made their way down through the now silent corridors of the castle back to her room Hitomi began to feel tired and was glad to go back to her room but was sad to have to leave Von if only for a few hours. 

"Well goodnight my love" Von said as Hitomi opened the large solid Fanelian oak door.   
"Goodnight" Hitomi replied after kissing Von on his left cheek and then she went into her bedroom and closed her door but not before taking one last look at Von as he walked down the corridor to his own room. Once Hitomi had changed into her nightdress she climbed into bed and after blowing the candle beside her bed out. Laid her head down on the soft pillows and fell instantly into a peaceful slumber. 

... 

It was not long before Hitomi awoke from her sleep, as she felt slightly restless even though she had fAlan asleep as soon she went to her bed. She still felt restless nonetheless and after looking out the window and seeing that it was still dark decided to go for a walk in order to help her get back to sleep. Changing back into her dress and shoes, she pulled on a beautiful blue hooded cloak from her wardrobe that was richly embroidered in many interweaving patterns and designs. She lit a small candle and then pulled the hood up over her head so as to keep it warm. Opened her door and stepped out into the cold, silent corridor which was now pitch dark as all the candles that were lit earlier had now burned themselves all out. 

She explored the many passages of the castle and was amazed at how beautifully designed the architecture of the castle was with its solid stone floors, many doors that Hitomi believed must lead to different parts of the castle as they were all shut closed to her at the minute. Its many paintings and banners depicting Fanelia's culture and history. She walked around the castle being careful not to make too much noise. It amazed her that this was a completely new castle and city that been built in the wake of the destruction brought by Zaibach. One that had been designed to provided the greatest protection to its people so as to prevent another atrocity similar to the one committed by Zaibach four years ago.   
As she travelled around the castle Hitomi finally came to a large stone staircase that led to a large arch where the light of the moon streamed through and also where a cold draft was coming from. So deciding to go for a look and see if she could get a view of the city at night Hitomi began to climb the large stone steps that wound up through a small cylindrical corridor. When Hitomi reached the top and stepped out through the arch she found the view breathtaking as she had a complete view of the entire city. However, as Hitomi soon realised she was on one of the higher battlements of the castle and feeling cold pulled her cloak tightly around herself for warmth. 

As Hitomi gazed out over the battlements for a few moments longer she suddenly had a feeling that she was not alone and turning around she saw that at the bottom end of the battlements there was someone standing. Hitomi felt instantly afraid although she fought it as she knew that if she allowed herself to feel frightened or terrified then Von would instantly feel it. As she stood rooted to the spot unable to move for the moment, hoping that she would not be discovered, and fighting her fears. 

Then the dark figure turned its head towards her and began coming forward towards her. In its hand Hitomi saw gleaming in the light of the moon a long silver blade. Hitomi fought her fear even harder as she told herself that she couldn't have Von save her all the time. She needed to be able to protect herself. All the time that she fought her fear she kept remembering back to the time when she had been kidnapped right out of her bedroom at Palace. 

The shadowy figure raised its blade gleaming cold in the pale moonlight and then began walking towards her. Hitomi after much inner fighting got her body moving again and made her way quickly back to the arch and mustering up all her courage looked around to see if there were anymore shadowy attackers and seeing that the one that was now coming even closer to her was the only one shouted to it.   
"If you come any closer I will shout for the King and both he and all of the guards in this castle will come to my aid" Hitomi shouted with as much authority and courage as she could muster. 

The shadowy figure didn't seem to have heard her or maybe it just didn't care as it still continued its approach. Hitomi thought to herself this is it, she was only going to get one chance to end this and she would have to time it right to get in under the attackers adVonce and then attack them with her candle. So Hitomi prepared herself while still fighting her fear and then shouted once more.   
"They will come to my aid if I call!"   
Preparing herself she made her move and walked straight towards her attacker protecting the flame of the candle with her hand. If her attacker was surprised then they didn't show it as they just kept moving. 

So it was that a hooded Hitomi walked forwards toward what could quite possibly be her death while her shadowed attacker marched forward sword held up ready for the attack.   
  
  
END OF PART III 

**Sundance**   
24.01.04 (Euro Date system DD/MM/YY) 

**_AUTHOR MESSAGE_**   
Well, here it is the shadows of the past chapter 3. I hope you have enjoyed this chapter and please don't hesitate to leave feedback as I am always interested to see how the readers feel this story is going. Also, if you enjoyed this chapter then you will be happy to know that chapter 4 is nearly completed and should be released soon if everything goes okay. 

In this chapter I have tried to give a little more exposition on the character of Dawn and hopefully answer some questions that readers may have had. In this chapter I also had a lot of fun writing Dawn's story arc beginning at when he returns to his room and ending when the meeting ends. This is because I especially enjoyed the whole interaction between Dawn and Gaddes especially the scenes in Sarah's inn and the scenes where Dawn is trying to prevent Hitomi from being constantly interrupted by Gaddes. 

Also if you didn't already know there is a parallel fan fiction that is being written by my good friend and collaborator Butch and this story takes place 25 years after the original Esaflowne series and focuses on Hitomi's daughter Sadako and also features many of the characters and places found in my own story. Now both these stories are a part of the same series and in order to gain the full picture of what is taking place you are advised to read both as there are intermixing plot lines that can only be fully understand if you are following both stories. 

However, this doesn't mean that they can't be read as separate stories as they can although I would advise you to read both as you will gain a fuller vision of what is taking place. At the minute chapter 3 is finished and ready for viewing with chapter 4 coming soon. 

So this is it from me until chapter 4 is released and if you need any additional information about any part of this series or the original Escaflowne series then you can visit www.butchsforum.co.uk. Also if you have any questions about either the events so far of Shadows Of The Past or The Descended Shadow then you can email us at butchsvideostop@tiscali.co.uk . I promise that we will do our best to answer any questions you have about the series. 

END 


	4. The Angels Weep

A VISION OF ESCAFLOWNE   
**Shadows of the Past   
Chapter 4**   
_The angels Weep_

**Disclaimer **– Escaflowne is not mine; the characters and story are the property of Bandai entertainment. The story and characters of 'The Descended Shadow' or 'Shadows of the Past' are the property of Butchs Fan Fiction Forum . Before use of these characters or elements of the story please get permission from Butch Cassidy at butchsvideostop@Tiscali.co.uk 

- Visit the Home of 'Shadows of the Past' at www.butchsforum.co.uk. 

- Character reference at the end of the Fan Fic. If you forget a character, remember. 

……… 

Preparing herself she made her move and walked straight towards her attacker protecting the flame of the candle with her hand. If her attacker was surprised then they didn't show it as they just kept moving. So it was that a hooded Hitomi walked forwards toward what could quite possibly be her death while her shadowed attacker marched forward sword held up ready for the attack. 

Hitomi was now mere feet from the still approaching figure and in a do or die bid she pulled back her hood and lifting up the bottom of her dress ran forwards ready to attack. As she ran her head was swirling with thoughts of all the people and places that she had known in her life which only served to strengthen her resolve even more. All of a sudden the attacker stopped and kept their sword down and thinking that this was their way of preparing to attack, Hitomi continued to run picking up more speed as she ran. Whenever Hitomi ran in and slashed with the candle the attacker ducked and reversed into the moonlight their sword held up now in defence. Unperturbed Hitomi ran in again ready to attack.   
"No M'lady" the attacker told her. 

Hitomi was suddenly confused and stopped running but now walked forward never dropping her guard.   
"What did you say?" Hitomi said accusingly unwilling to drop her guard.   
"I said No M'lady" and with this the figure backed into the light and pulled back their hood. 

"Dawn!" Hitomi said in relief   
"Yes it is me M'lady" Dawn answered, "and I will sheath my sword if you will sheath your candle"   
"How do I know that you are the real Dawn" Hitomi asked accusingly. 

"It's good that you should ask, as you don't" Dawn answered. Then placing his sword back in its sheath Dawn walked forward and Hitomi instantly backed away. He then placed it a few feet away from Hitomi and then backed away so that he was far away from the sword.   
"Do you trust me now?" Dawn asked.   
"No I don't" Hitomi answered sharply.   
"Okay then. Well if you take the sword you will find that engraved into the pommel at the end of the hilt the symbol of the Fanelian Royal guard. Have a look" Dawn told her. Cautiously stepping forward Hitomi grabbed the sword and stepped back again and holding the candle near the pommel of the sword the symbol was as he said it would be. 

"If M'lady now believes me. Could she please sheath her candle as a gesture of her trust" Dawn asked. Hitomi stared hard at him and then laughed and walking forward handed Dawn his sword back.   
"I am sorry Dawn but I was taught never to give trust easily on my first trip to Gaia" Hitomi said. 

"Don't apologise for my mistakes if you hadn't have removed your hood I would have killed you by now, believing you to be an assassin" Dawn replied.   
"You mean that you thought that I was an assassin? Oh my that's what I thought you were" Hitomi answered. 

And they both laughed at the thought and Hitomi felt her fear dissolve away. Then suddenly drawing his sword, which startled Hitomi, Dawn knelt down on one knee and presented his sword to her.   
"M'lady Hitomi, I swear that I will protect you always no matter what happens and that my blade is yours to call upon when you are in need of them. This oath shall remain until either my death or I have been released from your service" Dawn told her. She smiled.   
"I accept your offer but only on one condition Dawn Kosime" Hitomi answered   
"What is this condition that you speak of M'lady" Dawn asked.   
"That you lose the formalities. Don't call me M'Lady, just Hitomi" Hitomi replied. 

"Agreed" Dawn replied.   
"Then stand up Dawn Kosime" Hitomi said. Dawn rose and received his sword from Hitomi.   
"Thank you… Hitomi. And I hope you can forgive me" Dawn said.   
"Don't worry about it, what is passed is pasted. But believe it or not you helped me with something" Hitomi said as she moved over to the battlement walls where she had left her candle which was now only a small flame. Dawn followed her and leaned on the wall beside her. 

"What do you mean?" Dawn asked.   
"Well I guess that you know that I share an emotional bond with Von. It that allows us to feel really extreme emotions such as heightened panic, fear, and pain that the other is going through" Hitomi said.   
"Yes, but how have I helped?" Dawn asked slightly puzzled. 

"I have been learning how to suppress this link. Tonight when I thought you were an assassin. I was terrified but I didn't want to alarm Von without knowing for sure. Which then gave me the courage to fight back" Hitomi answered.   
"Well, its comforting to know that something good came out of it" Dawn replied,   
"Hitomi"   
"Yes Dawn" Hitomi said. 

"I also want to apologise for breaking your door in earlier and for Gaddes' manors, or lack of them during the meeting earlier" Dawn said. 

"First you saved my life by coming when you did. Secondly Gaddes was just saying what many of us were thinking although it was annoying at times. However, it was still funny to see his face when you shot the arrow" Hitomi said.   
"Well I know Von found it funny as I could see that he was trying hard to stop himself from laughing" Dawn said.   
"You have no idea," Hitomi answered sarcastically. 

"But it was quite funny wasn't it" Dawn replied. They laugh at the memory for a moment.   
"Dawn" Hitomi asked.   
"Yes" Dawn replied.   
"How come you were out here so late" Hitomi asked curiously. 

"Well there are just some nights when I don't feel very tired so some times I will sit and read a book while others I will come up here for a little bit if training in the peace and quiet. What about you are you out here because you couldn't get to sleep either" Dawn answered.   
"Kind of. It happens to me sometimes and I just have to do something to help myself go back to sleep. Speaking of it, I actually feel quite tired now" Hitomi said.   
"Yes I actually feel quite tired now myself. Come on I'll walk with you back to your room" Dawn replied. 

"Oh thank you" Hitomi answered. Taking one last look out over the sleeping city Dawn and Hitomi made their way back down the flight of steps leading from the arch and then down through the many corridors until finally they reached Hitomi's bedroom.   
"Well here I am again. Well good night Dawn and I will hopefully see you before you depart" Hitomi said.   
"I'd say that there is good chance you will. Well goodnight Hitomi" Dawn answered and he began to walk back up the corridor.   
"Dawn" Hitomi said.   
"Yes" Dawn answered.   
"I hope we can have another talk up on the battlements some time," Hitomi said.   
"I would like that" Dawn replied and then walked back up the corridor. Hitomi closed her door and changing back into her nightdress once more climbed into bed and slept through the rest of the night. 

……… 

The sun shone brightly the next morning as Alan made his way to the Levi-Ship landing bay. As he walked into the large storage area with its large hexagonal shaped roof that was now fully open in order to allow the ships to land. He was greeted by Reeden who walked steadily forwards to meet him.   
"Good morning Reeden" Alan said.   
"Morning Cap'n" Reeden answered cheerfully. 

Once Reeden had caught up with Alan the two men walked together to the part of the docking area where the crusade was docked.   
"You're very cheerful this morning Reeden" Alan asked.   
"Can't help it cap'n, I had a good meal and now I feel like I could take on anything. The Fanelian's really know how to make a man welcome" Reeden replied. 

"Oh good! Then you will have already ha the crusade ready to depart" Alan answered.   
"Yip, capt'n, we're just going through the final phases now. I reckon we should be ready for departure in around another half hour or so"   
"Wonderful! Well I'll go inform the others" Alan said. 

"Okay cap'n" Reeden replied.   
"By the way Reeden. Where's Gaddes this morning and I trust my sister Celena is already on board" Alan asked.   
"She is and Gaddes said something about having to do an errand in town but he said that he would be back in time for departure" Reeden replied. 

"Ok then as long as he is back in time as we can't afford to delay" Alan said. He then made his way over to the exit out of the hangar and this was a large arch that led out directly into the castle courtyard. 

……… 

As the light streamed in through the open window, Dawn could hear the sounds of the people outside going about doing their daily business. He had slept longer than he had intended to although it didn't really matter, as he knew that Alan's ship the crusade would still be getting prepped for departure. Although he was still groggy from sleep whenever he got out of bed, he felt more awake after he had washed his face with the small cloth that was left for him along with a small basin of water. Then walking over to the large wardrobe that lay below his bed he pulled out the set of clothes that he normally wore. 

These consisted of a pair of light green trousers that were worn along with a beige long sleeved shirt and then on his feet he wore a pair of long brown soft leather boots. Dawn also wore a pair of dark brown arm bracers that extended past the wrist to partly cover his fingers from the snap of the bowstring whenever he used his bow. Around his waist he wore a light brown leather belt that had a few pouches attached and these held tools such as a whetstone to keep his blade sharp. Along with other provisions such as a travel repair kit for his sword and a small medical kit that he used to heal any wounds suffered in a battle. Attached to this belt were Dawn's dagger, which was stored in its sheath on the front right side of his belt and his sword, which he kept on the left hand side of his belt, as he was right handed. Then went on a long brown hooded cloak that stopped just above his ankle and was clasped at the neck by a small round brooch, which had particular personal value to him. 

The reason Dawn wore these clothes was because they were what he felt most comfortable in as he did not like to wear body armour as he found it too heavy and cumbersome and restricted his natural movement and fighting ability. Secondly Dawn favoured silence and stealth and the colour of his clothes meant that he could blend into the shadows and into most environments without drawing too much attention to himself. The final item that Dawn put on was his quiver full of arrows that also held his bow that remained strung most of the time as the string was made from such a strong material. That Dawn could carry it around without fear of it ever losing its effectiveness. 

Once Dawn had finished dressing he made his way out of his room down to Von's study, where they had all gathered the night before. He saw that everyone was seated the same as before except for Gaddes' seat which was now curiously empty.   
"Sorry, I'm late" Dawn apologized.   
"No, you're actually just in time" Von replied.   
"So what have I missed" Dawn answered as he took his seat.   
"We were just going over the final plans. We're all going to try and gather more information as well as try and find the three mystical objects wherever they are hidden" Von said. 

"Was there anything else" Dawn asked curiously.   
"No, that was it" Von replied as he stood up from his chair. Dawn, Hitomi, Alan and Merle followed by rising from their own chairs.   
"Well if that is all then the Crusade is prepped and ready to go" Alan said.   
"Then lets go" Von replied. 

The companions then made their way out of the castle into the courtyard and then over through the courtyard, across the tarrised bridges and into the large hangar Reeden and Gaddes were already waiting for them.   
"Reeden, the crusade ready for departure?" Alan asked.   
"It is" Reeden replied.   
"Good then let us depart" Alan answered.   
"Goodbye Von, Hitomi, Merle. Hopefully we will return with what we need," Alan said.   
"And hopefully we will also be able to find what we need. Good luck Alan" Von replied. 

"Good luck everyone and see you in a full cycle of the moon"   
"Goodbye Alan" Hitomi said. Goodbye Hitomi until we all meet again" Alan said and then accompanied by Reeden and Gaddes made his way to the Crusade.   
"Von, Hitomi, Merle. Good luck" Dawn said.   
"Thanks and good luck Dawn" Von said as he patted his friend on the shoulder. 

"Goodbye Dawn and be careful" Hitomi said. Dawn nodded his head and then started to make his way to the crusade when.   
"Dawn" Merle asked   
"Yeah" Dawn answered as he turned around.   
"Make sure you come back in one piece you crazy fool"   
"Don't worry Merle. I always do" Dawn replied and then walked the rest of the way to the crusade and then up its ramp, which closed shut after him. Von, Hitomi and Merle all stood and watched as the Crusade took off hoping that its passengers would have a safe journey to each of their destinations. 

……… 

Dawn had spent most of the trip in his cabin reading when there was a knock at the door.   
"Who's there?" Dawn asked.   
"It's me Gaddes" Gaddes replied. Getting up from the bed Dawn went over to allow Gaddes in who was standing with two trays of food and a pint of ale and juice. Sitting down on the bed beside Dawn he handed the tray with the juice to Dawn and said.   
"Here I figured you haven't had anything to eat yet," Gaddes said. 

"Always the mind reader eh Gaddes" Dawn replied.   
"What can I say I'm a man of many talents" Gaddes answered.   
"So where were you today I didn't see you at the meeting" Dawn asked.   
"Nowhere in particular I just had something I needed to do in town" Gaddes replied.   
"You went to see Sarah, didn't you" Dawn asked. 

"No" Gaddes answered.   
"You're lying I can tell. Come on just tell the truth" Dawn replied.   
"Alright, Alright, I did go to see Sarah, okay" Gaddes answered.   
"Ha! I knew it. Well how did it go" Dawn asked.   
"It went fine, we sat and talked for a while and agreed to meet up again whenever I come back" Gaddes replied.   
"Well good, it's good to see that you two are getting on well" Dawn answered. 

"Thanks, but your one to talk Kosime, when are you going to finally find someone" Gaddes asked.   
"Maybe I already have?" Dawn replied with an evil grim. Gaddes laughed heartly. Just then there was a knock on the door and then poking his head in around the door Reeden said. 

"Hey Dawn, you asked to be told when we reached Cesario well we're almost there"   
"Thanks Reeden" Dawn replied as both he and Gaddes got up from the bed where now only empty plates and glasses lay. 

"Alan" Dawn said as he stepped onto the bridge of the crusade.   
"Well there it is Dawn, Cesario" Alan replied. The view that lay before Dawn was one of a vast green country with small forests and a large mountain range that rose up on its northern borders. Then he saw the four main cities of Cesario each situated at a different border point like the four main points on a compass. The final sight was that of the Cesarian Palace, a drop of pale white in an ocean of green, which on its own was beautiful to behold as its spires gleamed in the light of the sun. It was surrounded by a lake that shone clear blue and ran off on each side into the four main cities which each mirrored this design. 

It was protected by two sets of battlements that were positioned around the palace and were made of solid stone that was nigh on unbreakable and on the outer battlements concealed to the naked eye were great ballista's that could fend off any attack. The castle itself was also made of the same solid stone and would not crumble easily and it is said that when King Von Fanel was rebuilding his own kingdom he used this same material for greater strength. It also had tall spires that could see out over all the land and which contained the banners of the Cesarian kingdom. It had stood for centuries uncounted and had warded off all attack from those who had seeked to destroy it. The castle also stood on a large hill that was situated near the northern mountains and around this hill just outside of the first set of walls stood Caderle the main city of Cesario. 

It was as Dawn stood on the bridge of the Crusade looking out over the beautiful country that now lay before him that he found himself thinking about only one thing.   
'It's good to be home' 

……… 

The sun was beginning to set past the mountains when the Crusade finally docked just outside of Caderle. Dawn along with Alan and the rest of the crew began to make his way out of the ship. Now that he was on the ground Dawn had a better view of the castle and of the city of Caderle that lay at its feet as they began to unload the ships supplies. It was as Dawn was leading Gearoid out of the ship that he noticed two small figures swiftly approaching the ship and from the look on Alan's face it seemed that he had noticed them too. Dawn then proceeded to lead Gearoid down on to the grassland where the ship was docked so that he may rest on firm ground and graze if he so wished. It was then as Dawn was unloading some more of the supplies and Gaddes was tending to Alan's horse. That two riders dressed in dark blue with black tunics bearing the Cesarian royal symbol of the wolf arrived. Dawn also noticed that strapped to the saddle of each horse was a sword and this led Dawn to wonder for what purpose had these two riders graced them with their presence. Whispering silently to Dawn, Gaddes said.   
"Lets see how this plays out" Dawn nodded in agreement as the two men sat down on some nearby boxes. Alan had stood watching the two riders as they approached and now waited to see what their purpose was especially as they seemed to be from the castle. Then one of the riders got down from his mount and made his way over to where Alan now stood waiting. 

"Are you the captain of this vessel," he asked questioningly.   
"I am" came Alan's reply.   
"Then Lord Grear requests your presence at the castle. You will come with us," the rider answered.   
"Fine but I request that my companion comes with me," Alan said. 

"Fine" the rider answered. Alan motioned to Dawn and then made his way over to his horse and lifted himself onto the saddle and waited on Dawn while he quickly fitted Gearoid with his saddle. Then after he had climbed onto the saddle, the two riders from the palace as they sped off across the land back towards the castle. As they came nearer to the city and the castle Dawn saw that were four arched bridges each positioned at a different point that crossed the lake over into the city. As they sped across the nearest bridge Dawn could hear the small creaking of the wood below them as they rode over into the city and were soon ride up through the now silent and empty streets passing many houses and businesses as they passed. The only sound that could be heard as they made their way up through the city was the footfalls of the horse's hooves on the cobbled streets. 

Once they had made their way up through the city they came to the first great wall with its large archway with its two solid wooden gates. That had now been swung open in order to allow the riders to pass through unhindered. The riders then made their way past the many garrisons and guardhouses on their way to the second and final gate. Dawn was slightly surprised however to see that behind this wall there were many houses situated on either side of the road but just thought that they must be the homes of the royal guards and their families. Until finally they came to the last wall and this was even larger than the first gate and situated on top, Dawn could clearly see guards patrolling the wall their swords shimmering in the light of the now fading sun. As they approached the wall, which had its gate firmly shut, the rider who had approached Alan drew his sword and raised it high for the guards on the wall to see. Dawn could then hear the call going out to open the gates and once they reached the gates they began to swing open as the sound of the hinges creaking under the heavy strain of the large wooden doors filled the air. 

As they rode on through the final gate into the caste courtyard the sight of the castle with its high banners catching the wind filled all sight. The company then stopped just before a long flight of steps that led up to large entrance that had its doors already swung open. The two riders from Lord Grear dismounted and began to make their way up the steps to the castle their swords sheathed once more at their sides. Dawn and Alan also dismounted and followed them but at a safe enough distance that they could speak without being heard. 

"Dawn, I don't know what's going to happen now but just let me do the talking and no matter what follow my lead" Alan said in whispered tones.   
"Okay" Dawn replied as they finally reached the top of the steps and saw that the two riders were waiting for them. They then made their way through the entrance and down a long corridor that went to the left past a large hall and several closed doorways until finally they came to a doorway at the right of the corridor. The first rider knocked twice on the door and after a few seconds the door opened and they walked through into a large hall that had large pillars that were on both the left and right of the room and ran the full length of the room. Situated at the bottom of the hall were two large wooden chairs and in front of these stood another large wooden chair. In this chair sat Lord Grear and he wore robes of red and green and resting across his lap was a large sword sheathed in its scabbard. To Dawn he appeared to be a man in his mid thirties and upon his head he wore no crown or no helm, something that seemed strange to Dawn although he remained silent. Alan, Dawn and the two riders then walked over to Lord Grear and then kneeled down with their heads bowed as a mark of respect. Lord Grear then spoke and said to the two riders who had summoned Alan. 

"Thank you, now leave us"   
"Yes Lord" the two men answered and with that they left and closed the door that they had entered through behind them as they left.   
"Please, stand up. I am Lord Grear Steward of Cesario" Lord Grear said. Dawn was surprised at these words, as he always believed Lord Grear to be Cesario's king.   
"I am Alan Shazar of Asturia, Captain of the Knights of Calea and this is my companion" Alan replied motioning to Dawn who bowed his head. An expression of puzzlement came across Lord Grear's face as he looked at Dawn. 

"I'm sorry but do I know you from somewhere, companion of Alan Shazar" Lord Grear asked.   
"I do not believe so lord, this is my first time here in the castle" Dawn answered.   
"Really!" Lord Grear said surprised. "It is just that I feel like I recognise you somehow, your face, it reminds of something from the past. What is your name" Lord Grear asked.   
"Robin lord, my name is Robin" Dawn answered lying.   
"Forgive me Robin, I must be mistaken. Please forgive me" Lord Grear replied.   
"There is nothing to forgive lord" Dawn answered politely. 

"Anyway, what is your purpose here Alan Shazar of Asturia" Lord Grear asked now turning his gaze back on Alan.   
"My Lord, myself and my crew are on our way back to Asturia and we stopped here to pick up supplies and other materials," Alan answered.   
"Have you any other reasons for being here Alan Shazar" Lord Grear replied.   
"No lord, that is our only reason for being here" Alan answered.   
"That is okay and please forgive me but I had to be sure of your purpose" Lord Grear said.   
"That is okay lord, I can understand but now my companion and I must be going" Alan replied. 

"Then go with my best wishes and may you both have a safe journey home," Lord Grear answered as he stood up from his chair. Dawn and Alan both bowed their heads and made their way back out through the door that they had entered by. Once Alan and Dawn had left the throne room, a man stepped out from the shadows behind Lord Grear's chair.   
"What did they want?" he said silently.   
"They said that they have stopped here for supplies on their journey back to Asturia. Why do you know them?" Lord Grear asked.   
"I know of Alan Shazar of Asturia by his reputation but his companion seems familiar to me although I can't quite place why" the stranger answered.   
"Yes, he seemed familiar to me as well" Lord Grear said. 

"What did he say his name was" the stranger asked.   
"Robin although I got the impression that he was lying" Lord Grear replied.   
"Really! I want you to find out who this stranger is as he may be a danger to us" the stranger said.   
"I will send out word to my men to watch for this newcomer and report if anything strange happens. It may turn out that he is no threat." Lord Grear said.   
"Maybe, however I shall tell my own men the same so as to avoid any mistakes" the stranger replied and walked away leaving the Lord to think about this new factor and how it could affect him. 

……… 

Once Alan and Dawn were sure that the castle was far behind them they began to talk more freely as they walked through the streets of Caderle. They led their horses beside them because by the time they had left the castle night had now fallen and they decided to just find an inn where they could stay the night. Dawn would then accompany Alan back to the ship first thing in the morning and would then return to Caderle and begin trying to gather information on the tablet and the elixir of Atlantis.   
"Robin! What sort of a name is Robin" Alan asked.   
"Hey! There's nothing wrong with Robin besides it's the first thing that entered my mind" Dawn replied.   
"Really, well maybe you can tell my why you didn't just give your real name" Alan asked puzzled. 

"Well it's just that I don't trust him" Dawn replied.   
"Oh and why's that" Alan asked curiously.   
"I don't know why but I just get the feeling that it's not all as it seems. Besides I think he knew that I was lying anyway but at least this way he doesn't know who I am. Something that I'm hoping will work in my favour" Dawn answered.   
"You hope! Well let's just forget about it and just find somewhere we can spend the night" Alan replied. As they walked down through the streets past the many houses they heard the sound of music and of much merriment. Looking up they saw a sign swinging over the door of one of the buildings that said 'The Sabre's Den Inn'. 

"This looks like a good place to spend the night," Alan said.   
"Hey, I'm not picky so lets just see if they have a couple of free beds and a place where we can keep the horses" Dawn replied.   
"Ok then, you stay with the horses and I'll check it out" Alan replied as he handed the reigns of his horse to Dawn and made his way into the inn. As soon as he opened the door, a blast of heat came rushing out and warmed his face and body and he then stepped into the inn and closed the door behind him while Dawn waited. The inn was a large place that had an open fire over to the far left and scattered all around there were many tables. Some facing the fire while others faced the door that was in the middle of the right hand side of the room and at the bottom there was a large bar space where two men stood pouring drinks and taking orders. At the bar there were several men sitting on large stools drinking and talking and at the top of the bar. Alan noticed that a small band was playing what sounded like a folk song. Alan made his way over to the bar where he waited for one of the bartenders to come over and when he did Alan said to him. 

"I'm looking for two spare beds for me and my friend and also a place to keep our horses"   
"Well it's lucky that you came when you did as we have three more beds spare but the way its going tonight it doesn't look like they'll be around form much longer" the bartender replied.   
"That's okay I'll take two of those beds but I still need a place where my friend and I can keep our horses" Alan said.   
"There is a stable around the back of the bar where you can keep your horses free of charge but I'm afraid that I will need to ask you now for forty-five slale's if you still want the two beds" the bartender answered. So reaching into his pocket Alan drew out some coins and counting out the proper amount handed it to the bartender. 

"Thank you, I'll send Finn out now to show you the way to the stables and your beds will be ready for you when you want them" the bartender said before going to take an order. Alan stood at the bar for a few moments when a boy of around thirteen or fourteen approached him and said that he would show him the way to the stables. So following the boy out the door Alan saw Dawn with his hood pulled over his head while he stood and talked to the horses, reassuring them as they were now starting to become restless.   
"Dawn, I've got us a couple of beds for the night and this boy is going to show us the way to the stables" Alan said.   
"Ok" Dawn said as he looked over and saw the boy opening the gate at the side of the building. Then following Alan and the boy, he led the horses one after the other down the path at the side of the building until they came to the large wooden stables that stood at the back of the stables. Once the boy had led them to the stables, he returned to the heat of the inn through a door that was at the end of the stables. 

"How much were the beds?" Dawn asked as he un-strapped Gearoid's saddle.   
"It doesn't matter" came Alan's reply.   
"Come on Alan, how much did the beds cost for the night" Dawn asked again.   
"Forty five Slale's" Alan replied.   
"Well here's what I owe you" Dawn answered as he handed Alan his share of the cost.   
"No, its okay, keep it" Alan replied.   
"No Alan, please take this, it's what I owe you" Dawn answered. Seeing that he wasn't going to win Alan accepted the money.   
"Ok, but I'm buying the first round," Alan said sternly.   
"Ok" Dawn answered and the two had finished tending to the horses they made their way into the inn. 

……… 

Once they had gotten cleaned and changed into fresh clothes, Alan and Dawn found a table near the fire and ordered a warm meal and drinks while they talked and listened to the band playing who were actually pretty good. They had been sitting for about an hour and a half just talking and drinking when suddenly the music stopped much to the surprise of everyone gathered. 

"I'm sorry everybody, not unless we can find another guitar player otherwise I'm afraid we won't be able to continue. You see our resident guitar player has pulled one of the muscles in his arm" the lead singer said as he looked around the bar but it seemed that no one played.   
"Hey Dawn, why don't you do it, you're pretty good" Alan said quietly.   
"No! I'm not that good anyway besides I've never played in front of a crowd" Dawn answered. 

"Your joking right, I've heard you playing whenever you thought no-one's around" Alan replied.   
"What" Dawn said quietly with surprise in his voice.   
"Oh yes and I know how good you are. So go for it, hey you never know you might surprise yourself" Alan said.   
"Alan I ca…." Dawn started but was soon cut off as Alan stood up and shouted to the lead singer.   
"I found your guitar player" as he motioned to Dawn.   
"Really, hey friend, do you really play" the lead singer asked.   
"Yeah, I play" Dawn said as he stood up from his seat.   
"Well come on then, play a couple of tunes with us" the lead singer replied. 

"Go on" Alan said as he shoved Dawn forward and then sat back down in his own seat. As Dawn left he whispered to Alan "You'll pay for this". Alan just started clapping and shouting which caused the whole audience to start doing the same. As Dawn walked up to the spot where the band was waiting, all he could think about was the many ways that he could get his own back on Alan. Once he reached the band, their lead singer greeted him.   
"Hey I'm Dret, this is Andre, this is Erre and this is Leon. Leon is the one who pulled his muscle" 

"I'm sorry" Dawn answered.   
"Nah, don't be, it means I can take a rest. Here you'll be needing this" Leon said as he handed Dawn his guitar.   
"Thanks, I'm Dawn" Dawn replied.   
"Cool, now gentleman lets play some music. Oh, Dawn do you know a ballad called ' To You I will Return'" Dret said. 

"Yes" Dawn answered.   
"Oh good because that's what were going to play now. So just follow my lead for the next few songs and we'll see how you do," Dret replied. 

So taking his place among the front of the band, Dawn began to play while Dret sang the words. As this was a slow ballad it meant that Dawn could play in the slower style that he preferred most. As he played Dawn noticed a young woman sitting on her own, she wore a dark red cloak that was draped over her shoulders and a short sleeved dress that was light green and blue in colour. However it was her beauty that caught Dawn's attention the most as she had long black hair that fell down to her shoulders and deep blue eyes. Whenever he looked at her he felt his fear of playing melt away and as a result he felt his confidence back as he continued to play this song for her. A few times Dawn thought that he had saw the lady smile at him and this encouraged and in heartened him even more and when the song had finished, Dawn along with the other members of the band stood up and bowed to the audience. The audience who had been silent the whole way through the song stood up and began to clap and cheer wildly calling for more. Dawn couldn't believe the reaction of the crowd and as he looked around he saw Alan standing and laughing as he clapped. Then Dawn saw that the young woman who he had been playing to was also standing smiling as she continued to clap and upon seeing this Dawn bowed his head directly to her. She smiled back as she sat back down in her chair and it was then that Dawn resolved that if he could he would find out who she was. 

So it was that the band continued to play much to the delight and applause of the crowd whether it was a slow song such as a ballad or a fast song for dance. Then whenever they had played about five more songs that Dawn looked away for an instant and when he looked back again the young woman was nowhere to be seen, vonished as if she was nothing more than a dream. The band then played three more songs before they decided to call it a night and as they got up they received a standing ovation from the crowd. Dawn however was more interested in finding out who the young woman was and where she had went. Dawn then helped Dret and the others to pack away their things and then made his way over to the table where Alan was. 

"That was quite a show," Alan said as they made their way from the table to their rooms.   
"Thanks" Dawn replied.   
"So what were you staring at when you were up there?" Alan asked.   
"What are you babbling about now" Dawn replied.   
"Oh I'm babbling am I, then maybe you can explain what suddenly kick started your self confidence up there," Alan answered.   
"It was a young lady in the crowd" Dawn said. 

"Ha! I thought as much, I thought it was a woman," Alan answered.   
"She was beautiful Alan but the strangest was that I turned away for a second and when I looked back she was gone" Dawn replied.   
"Ha! Maybe you just imagined her so as to give yourself some more confidence," Alan said.   
"That's what I thought at first but I could have swear that she was there" Dawn replied.   
"Well, just forget about it and get some sleep. I'll wake you in the morning" Alan said.   
"Right, well I'll see you in the morning" Dawn replied. Dawn then went to his room while Alan went to the one given to him. Whenever Dawn climbed into bed, he felt his weariness weighing down on him until eventually he fell asleep but as his eyes closed the last thought to go through his mind was. 

"She was real, wasn't she?" 

……… 

The sun rose early that morning as Dawn lay in a peacefully slumber until he was suddenly awoken by the sound of heavy knocking on his door.   
"Dawn! Dawn! Get up you lazy sack of bones" Alan's voiced boomed through the door.   
"Yes Mommy!" Dawn called back sarcastically.   
"Come on Wiseass! It's past sunrise and I'll have to leave soon" Alan replied seriously. After he had washed the sleep out of his eyes, Dawn put his clothes on along with his weapons and cloak and made his way into the main hall of the inn. Alan was sitting waiting for him.   
"You ready" Alan asked. 

"Just give me a minute okay" Dawn replied as Alan raised one finger to signal one minute. He then made his way over to one of the bartenders who was taking stools down off the tops of the tables.   
"Excuse me" Dawn asked politely.   
"Yes" the barman replied while still taking stools down.   
"Did you see a woman with long black hair and a dark red cloak come in here last night," Dawn asked. 

"Yeah, I remember her, she left before you and the guys finished playing" the barman relied.   
"So she was here!" Dawn replied.   
"Yeah she was here, why?" the barman asked curiously.   
"I was wondering if you knew who she was" Dawn replied.   
"Sorry, I'm afraid I don't" the barman said.   
"Oh, well thanks anyway" Dawn replied.   
"Sorry I couldn't be of more help" the barman answered.   
"Oh, one more thing" Dawn asked.   
"Yes" the barman answered.   
"Can you keep the bed as I'll be coming back in a few hours" Dawn said.   
"Okay" the barman replied.   
"Thanks" Dawn said. He then made his way over to where Alan was sitting.   
"Aren't you going to have something to eat before we go" Alan asked.   
"It's alright, I'll get something whenever I come back" Dawn answered. 

"Lets go then" Alan said as he stood up from the table. Then both he and Dawn made their way out to the stables where they saddled their horses and then rode out from the stables down through the city. Passing children playing and adults on their way to their jobs until finally they were at the edge of the city and were soon riding across the bridge out of the city and were then back on the open plain. They rode in silence as they each thought about the journey that would lie ahead for them both once the crusade left. Until finally it loomed into view and they were riding ever closer to it and as they did they saw that it was already prepped for departure and that the crew was just waiting on their arrival. 

When they finally reached the ship they saw that most of the crew was standing there. Both Alan and Dawn dismounted and then Reeden led Alan's horse onto the crusade as the crew once they had greeted Alan and Dawn made their way onto the ship as well until only Gaddes remained. Once they had filled Gaddes in on all the details of the day before, he seemed upset that he had missed out on all the fun. Once they had all wished one another good luck and farewell, Dawn rode off to a safe distance so that he could watch the crusade as it took off on its way home to Asturia. 

After the crusade had left, Dawn rode back to Caderle to the inn where he was staying and once he had had some breakfast he made his way back into town and headed for the building where all the Cesarian records as well as many of the records of Cesario itself. At first he found some records containing information on Atlantian lore but nothing that was of any use to him and then over the ensuing days he would continue to read through all the scrolls and documents. Each possessing no more information about Atlantis than what he already knew or had already found until eventually a week passed with still no success. 

Once this avenue was no longer of any use he tried searching in other areas such as public meeting places like inns where he would talk to the locals subtly slipping in questions about myth and lore but especially about Atlantis. After days of searching he still had no more information than that which he started with. 

……… 

It was on his fifth day of searching for information by talking to people that Dawn had a particularly bad day, as he decided to try the inn where he was staying but no one seemed to want to talk to him. So as a result he had spent most of the afternoon at a table on his own considering what he would do now as he was running out of time and still he had no substantial information. Until he heard the inn door being opened he looked around in the chance that it may be someone knew entering who would be more willing to speak to him. However what he saw was not what he expected to see or ever thought that he would see again. 

It was the woman from the first night that he spent in the inn and she was now leaving the inn. Dawn decided that he was not going to lose her a second time and so draining the last of his glass. He stood up and saw that right after she had left a pack of seven men had suddenly stood up and were also leaving. Not believing this to be mere coincidence, Dawn waited a moment and then followed the men from a distance as they walked up the street. Dawn pulled his hood up so as to conceal his face but also to cover his head as the rain was now pouring down, the thought of which reminded Dawn of something his mother had told him as a child.   
'The angels are weeping' 

The group of men rounded a corner at the top of the street and slowly like a shadow Dawn followed them trying to keep his eyes and mind focused as the heavy rain beat at his face. Once Dawn reached the corner he looked around and saw that the men had now stopped not too far ahead of him. So remaining in the shadow of the corner he watched in order to see if the group had caught up with the woman and if they did then what did they intend to do. Once a few of the men stepped back Dawn could see that they had indeed caught up with her and now had her cornered at the end of the alley. Dawn watched as one of the men stepped forward and suddenly stood back very quickly as the others laughed at him and made fun. Then whenever he turned to face one of his companions, Dawn saw that he had been slashed across the face and pretty badly too. He then saw the woman circle move from side to side continually as she tried to fend off the others with her dagger. Then the one who had been cut drew his sword and started to walk closer as his companions stepped back. The woman now slashed wildly at the air with her dagger in attempt to prevent his approach but his pride had been wounded in front of his men. Then quite clearly Dawn heard him say. 

"You will pay" as he knocked the dagger out of her hand and lifted his sword ready to strike. Then all of a sudden his sword fell from his hand as he let out a cry of pain and then lifting his hand he saw that it was now pierced by an arrow that was followed by a voice from the shadows.   
"How would you like another scar to match the two you already possess?"   
"Who said that? Come out here, You Coward" the attacker spat.   
"I'm a coward. This from someone who attacks a lady when he is supported by six men and you call me the coward" the voice answered.   
"This is no lady and I demand that you come out and face me at once" the attacker spat back once more. Then stepping out from the shadow of the corner, Dawn stood his bow drawn and his hood covering his face. 

"I don't believe it is up to scum like you to decide whether this young woman is considered a lady especially when she was able to best you" Dawn retorted which only served to anger the attacker and his group more. All of a sudden one of the group ran forward with his sword drawn to where the woman had now fallen to the ground and was searching for her dagger. As soon as the man raised his sword an arrow pierced his throat. 

"I give you all the chance to leave now with your lives but if any of you try to harm that young woman. I WILL SHOOT YOU DEAD" Dawn shouted to the remaining men, his voice full of anger and hate. 

Unperturbed the leader of the men who had now pulled Dawn's arrow from his hand said quietly to his men "when I give you the signal, throw a few of those boxes at him and that should throw him off long enough for you to get in and attack. Then we will see if his fighting is as quick as his tongue". There was a moment of silence in which Dawn did not lower his bow once until. 

"Now!" the leader shouted as two of his men started to throw some of the crates that were lying in the alley at Dawn. This took him by surprise and he had to dodge these crates therefore preventing his aim while the others ran in with their swords drawn. Dawn could not see their approach but he could hear the sound of their feet on the rain soaked ground. He quickly put away his bow and drew his sword when suddenly the bombardment stopped and he was assaulted by one of the men. 

He had attacked high which meant that Dawn was able to take the blow up high, throwing his attacker momentarily off balance. Dawn then stabbed his sword deep into his attackers chest and then withdrew it quickly as the next two attackers launched their assault. The first one was aimed at Dawns chest, which he dodged by moving sideways and then drawing his dagger he drove it deep into the back of his attackers skull. The next attacker was harder to kill as first he aimed for Dawn's head, which Dawn countered by ducking down low but then his attacker booted him in the face knocking him to the ground on his back. Then taking advontage of Dawn's disorientation, his attacker raised his sword and plunged it down at Dawn's chest and only for a woman's voice screaming "Quickly, Move!" Dawn was able to roll to his right and avoid the attack. He then countered by slicing off his attackers right leg at the thigh and then drove his sword into the attackers heart whenever he fell to the ground reeling in pain. As soon as Dawn got back to his feet he saw that there were only three men left including the groups leader and they were all acting more defensively now that so few remained. 

Not giving his attackers the chance to make the next move, Dawn sprinted forward and jumping kicked the man farthest to the left squarely in the chest sending him painfully to the ground. He then threw his dagger downwards where it went straight into the fallen attackers heart and he then turned his attention back to the remaining two. The first charged in his sword held high and Dawn after he had blocked this attack, Dawn hit his attacker in the face with the pommel of his sword, breaking his nose. Then as his attacker stepped backwards in pain, Dawn stabbed him with his sword and then quickly withdrew it as the attacker fell to the ground dead. The leader of the group was even more furious now than before and he charged in and started attacking wildly in directions that Dawn was finding harder to block. Then quickly punching his attacker in the face he ran and rolled forward on the now drenched ground and drew his dagger out of the last attacker he had killed with it. The leader of the group quickly ran forward and slashed down at Dawn who blocked the attack using both his blade and his dagger. The two men then fought viciously as the rain continued to pelt down upon them, at times blinding them as each man tried to gain the upper hand on the other. Dawn parried each new attack and in return the leader of the group parried each of Dawns attacks until elbowing him in the face the leader sent Dawn staggering backwards. The leader then rushed in and attacked even more fiercely by slashing more and more wildly as if he was some sort of wild beast. Dawn sensing that he would need to end this battle soon began to attack even more furiously constantly forcing his enemies attack back towards him. 

The leader of the group suddenly attacked upwards and then slashed downwards at Dawns head. Dawn blocked this attack and then drove the sword downwards using his sword and his dagger, which caused the two men to now be locked in a stalemate with each trying to free their sword from the other.   
"So who is underneath that hood that they do not reveal themselves in battle" the leader spat at Dawn.   
"Wouldn't you like to know" Dawn replied as he tried to free either his sword or his dagger.   
"Don't worry, I intend to find out!" the leader replied as Dawn heard the small almost faint among the beating of the rain of a click. Then he suddenly felt a searing pain shoot through his entire body and looking down he saw a dagger drove deep into his chest. This was because while Dawn was trying to free his sword and dagger, his opponent had removed from the hilt of his sword a small dagger that he always kept hidden in case of emergencies. 

"Now lets see who or what is under there" the leader said as he drove his dagger deeper into Dawn's chest and then grabbing Dawn's hood with his free hand yanked his hood back.   
"WHAT! A BOY! A BOY BESTED SIX OF MY MEN! YOU… WILL… DIE…!" the leader shouted in anger as he saw Dawn's face. He then threw Dawn to the ground and walking forward kicked his dagger and his sword out of his hands and then stood on his arms in order to keep him pinned to the ground. Then raising his sword high the leader said.   
"Now Boy, YOU DIE!" 

"Not if you die first" came a woman's reply but the leader had no time to react as the young woman had already grabbed him and slit his throat. His body then fell lifeless to the ground as the young woman rushed over to where Dawn now lay. She quickly kneeled down and looked at the place where he had been stabbed as the blood poured out through his shirt and was washed away by the rain. Taking his head in her arms she pulled back his hood, which had now fallen back over his head and saw to her amazement that it was the guitarist she had saw over a week and a half ago at the Sabre's Den Inn.   
"You saved me, Thank You" she said softly.   
"No Worries" Dawn said as he lifted his hand up to touch her face and then his hand fell to the ground and his eyes closed.   
"No! No!" she replied as she wept over his body. 

……   
**End of Chapter Four   
Sundance Kid**   
_24.02.04_   
…… 

**Author Message: -**   
Thank you to all the readers who have been with me and followed this story from the start and I hope that you have all enjoyed the journey that the story is taking and that you have enjoyed this chapter. It is from this chapter onwards that the real events of the story start to come into place as it is the events of this chapter and its climax that will affect the futures of the other characters in the story. I would also like to reassure all the readers that chapter 5 will be coming soon and over the course of both that and chapter 6 which has already been written and will come soon after 5. 

I loved writing this chapter and can honestly say that it is one of my favourites as it allowed me to finally begin story threads that I had been developing since the very beginning of the story and still continue to develop even now. In order to give the fans of both escaflowne and this fan fiction, a story that has intimate character stories and character development. As well as being adventurous with good action sequences and not forgetting light hearted comedy as well. Once more I would like to thank all the readers for their support of this fan fiction and for staying with it as long as they have. I would also like to thank my fellow writer Butch who is currently hard at work on chapter 5 of the Descended Shadow which tells the story of Hitomi's daughter and how she arrives in Gaia twenty years after the end of this fan fiction and the events that now surround Gaia. In this story you can also find many of the characters and locations from my story. 

As well as this, I was wondering did anyone pick up on the two Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves references in the story when Dawn said that his name was Robin and when he shot his arrow through the hand of the gang leader. It was that whole sequence at the end that was something which has been developed in my head for over a year now and I loved being able to finally write it. As well as this there will be at least one more Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves reference in this story but it will be taking place later on and is another idea that has been developed from early on in the story. Unfortunately I can't tell you yet what it is or where it takes place but when it does you will know it. 

So until chapter 5 this is it from the Sundance and if there are any thoughts or questions that you have then please don't hesitate to email me at – and I promise that I will answer them all as best as I can without giving away spoilers of what's going to happen next. I will also gladly answer any questions that you have on how the events and characters in my story affect those of my colleague Butch's story. 

**_Cast #Ref part IV (Alphabetical) –_**

OC – Original Character   
NC – New this chapter 

Alan (OC)– Knight of Celia, friend to Von, Merle, Hitomi and Dawn.   
Andre (NC)- A member of a local band in Caderle   
Celena (OC)- Alan's Sister, reason for quest for Elixir   
Dawn – Vons body guard, and friend.   
Dret (NC)- Singer of a local band in Caderle.   
Erre (NC)- A member of a local band in Caderle.   
Finn (NC)- A stable boy at 'The Sabre's Den Inn' I Caderle.   
Gaddes (OC)– 1st Mate of the crusade. Friend to Dawn.   
Hitomi (OC)– Centre of the story, love to Von, friend to Merle, and now Dawn   
Leon (NC)- Guitarist of a local band in Caderle   
Lord Grear- Steward or Cesario, lord if Caderle   
Merle (OC)– Close friend and confidante of Von, tormentor of Hitomi   
Reeden (OC)- 2rd Mate on the crusade, Alan's Levi-Ship   
Sarah – Owner of Sarah's bar. Old friend of Dawn's   
Von (OC)– King of Fanelia. Need I say more? 


	5. Hope in Despair

A VISION OF ESCAFLOWNE   
**Shadows Of The Past   
Chapter V**   
_Hope in Despair_

**Disclaimer** – Escaflowne is not mine; the characters and story are the property of Bandai entertainment. The story and characters of 'The Descend Shadow' or 'Shadows of the Past' are the property of Butchs Fan Fiction Forum . Before use of these characters or elements of the story please get permission from Butch Cassidy at butchsvideostopTiscali.co.uk 

- Visit the Home of 'Shadows of the Past' at www.butchsforum.co.uk 

……… 

The weather was calm as Dawn stood on the battlements of the castle watching out over all of Cesario. There was only a slight wind as the sun began to set behind the mountains although all remained silent both within the castle and below in the city. It was as Dawn sat down with his back against the battlements, his mind lost in thought that all of a sudden he became painfully aware that something was wrong. Quickly standing up he saw to his horror that the lower levels of the castle were engulfed in a flame that was quickly rising up to the castle itself. Dawn drew his sword immediately as below him he could just see the shadows of men quickly making their way into the castle. He ran to the staircase that led down from the battlements into the main courtyard of the castle and then jumped the last few steps as he ran across the courtyard past the now raging fires as they engulfed the lower foundries of the castle. As he ran through the castle continuously shouting, "Father! Father! Where are you!". The castle was eerily silent with the only sounds being those of Dawn's boots as they impacted upon the stones of the castle floors and the sound of his voice until finally he received a reply.   
"Dawn! I'm in here son!" 

Dawn quickly raced to the room where the voice had come from and once he entered he found that he was back in the throne room of the castle. He quickly ran over to where his father now stood with his sword drawn, the blade covered in blood as several men lay dead not far from where they both stood.   
"Father, Treachery is everywhere" Dawn said as he tried to regain his breath. 

"And yet, Treachery is nowhere" His father answered as Dawn stared at him confused. "Do not worry my son" Dawn's father said as he placed his hand on his sons shoulder. But then he suddenly fell into Dawn, the force of which caused Dawn to fall to the floor. As he pushed himself up into a sitting position, he looked down at his father and saw that sticking out of his back was a small dagger. He pulled the dagger out of his fathers back and then threw it with all the strength that he could muster across the room. Then turning his father over in his arms so that he could see his face one last time as he fought to maintain his resolve and stop the tears from flowing. 

"Dawn!" came the sound of his father's voice, which was now nothing more than a whisper.   
"Always remember that the paths of the future are forged by the deeds of the past" Dawn simply nodded his head in agreement as he could no longer hold back his sorrow.   
"Rememberrrrr" and with that he was gone and Dawn was alone once more. 

"No, No, Father" Dawn said as he wept over his fathers now lifeless body and then carefully lowering his fathers head back onto the ground. He walked over to the spot where his father had dropped his sword and stooped down to lift the sword. He then walked back over to his father's body and placed the sword by his side. It was then as he stood up once more and looked at the fires that now raged all around him that he awoke and rubbing his eyes, felt the cold sweat trickle down his face. Every night he was haunted by the same dreams, the dreams of how he was unable to save his parents and of how he never could have. 

He then became aware of a sharp pain and with his hand he touched the spot where he had been wounded and felt the soft touch of a bandage. He then became aware that the light of the morning was shining in from the right of the room instead of from the bottom of the room the way it normally did. Turning around he saw that this was neither his room in Fanelia nor the room that he had stayed in while at the inn. Pulling the covers on the bed back he stepped onto the floor beneath him and saw that it was wooden and that beside the windows that had been left slightly open. There sat on a small table beside a washbasin and jug, a set of fresh bandages as well as a clean change of clothes that were comprised of a pair of light green trouser along with a white shirt. He then saw that beside these were his leather arm bracers and what looked like the pendant that his mother had given him for his 12th birthday before she passed away. It was a small blue gem that was set into the shape of a circle and it always hung on a silver chain and upon seeing this he realised that his pendant was indeed missing from around his neck. 

He then washed his face in the basin and allowed the cool clean water to surround his whole face, cooling it and awakening his senses once more. Then once he had bathed himself, he took the clothes from the chair and found that surprisingly they were a perfect fit. He then rolled back the sleeves on the shirt until they were just above his elbows and taking his arm braces placed them on and secured them. Then taking his pendant, the last item of clothing on the table, he placed it around his neck once more and tucked it away under his shirt. Then out of the corner of his eye, he saw that lying just below the edge of the bed were his boots and once he had put them back on he opened the door of the bedroom unsure of what to expect next. 

He had decided against slipping out through the window like some sort of thief as he wanted to thank the people who had taken care of him but also to find out what day it was as he was unsure of how many days he had been unconscious. As well as this he also wanted to find out where his other possessions had been placed, as they were also dear to him, as he had not seen them anywhere in the room where he had been sleeping. The last thing that he remembered was fighting the goons in the alley and then falling into darkness as the woman he had been trying to find watched over him. 

He slowly made his way out of the room so as to give himself a chance to take in every detail of his new surroundings as it may turn out that he would have to leave in a hurry. He saw that he was standing in a sort of hallway that was suspended above ground level, near the top of the building in fact, as below this he could see what appeared to be the main living area, as there was a small wooden table near the end of the room. Around this table were a few chairs and Dawn also thought that he could hear the last cracklings of a fire that was burning out? Then looking in front of where he now stood he saw that the hallway ran slightly further ahead and at the end there was a small window, on either side of which there appeared to be a room. Silently Dawn made his way down the steps to his right and once he came to the last stair he saw that there was indeed a fire and that it was situated at the far left of the room. Besides this fire with their face turned toward it, Dawn saw an elderly man sitting reading a book and he was about to walk forward whenever he heard a voice say. 

"Like father like son, eh my young friend" the man said to him with his face still turned towards the fire.   
"What do you mean" Dawn asked puzzled and slightly taken back.   
"There is no need to be cautious with me Dawn Kosime. Please come and sit down beside the fire with me". Walking forward Dawn sat down in a seat beside the man who then turned around to him and said. 

"It's good to see that you are finally awake my young friend" "Thank you but may I be so bold as to ask how you know my name. As I have not told anyone my real name since I arrived here and I don't believe that I carry any possessions that could identify me" Dawn asked. 

The man laughed and said "My apologies, where are my manners" and placing his book to one side he stood up and said "I am Yakamo Veila and this is my home. I know your name Dawn because I was a friend of your father and mother, Marek and Clare Kosime". 

"How do I know that you are telling the truth" Dawn asked.   
"A very good question but what if I was able to tell you something that only a close friend of your parents would know" Yakamo answered.   
"Okay then" Dawn replied.   
"Well your mother, she loved to sit out on the summer evenings especially if there was a light rain shower and your father used to say that you were like an arrow, always straight and true to your aims" Yakamo answered. 

"I've never told those things to anyone, not even to my closest friends. But how do you know this"   
"As I have already said young Dawn. Your parents were friends of mine and good friends at that. I used to visit them every spring in Fanelia along with my own family and I always remember a small brown haired scamp running around outside as he played with his father" Yakamo replied with a smile. 

"Then you know that he has passed on" Dawn asked.   
"Yes, it grieved me greatly the day Marek died" Yakamo's replied.   
"Did you also know that my mother died just a few winters after my father" Dawn said. 

"What! No! No one ever told me" Yakamo said with surprise in his voice.   
"Yes she died when I was still only a boy" Dawn replied.   
"I am sorry to hear that, she was a good woman and a kind and gentle spirit" Yakamo said as he walked forward and placed his hand on Dawn's shoulder. 

"Thank you and thank you for taking care of me" Dawn said.   
"I would do anything to help Marek and Clare's child although you must be starving. Come let us have some lunch and we can talk some more" Yakamo said.   
"Thank you" So it was that Dawn sat and ate lunch with Yakamo as they talked about his parents and Dawn listened intently to Yakamo's stories about the adventures that they used to have. 

"Yakamo?" Dawn asked.   
"Yes" Yakamo replied.   
"I've been wondering about something," Dawns said.   
"Yes" Yakamo replied.   
"Well when I came down the stairs, you said 'Like father like son'. What did you mean by that?" Dawn asked curiously. 

"I was wondering when you'd ask about that. Well the reason I said it was because your father could also move silently but I knew him too well and so he was never able to catch me off guard. We used to always joke about it and your father would always say that someday he would catch me out, but he never did" Yakamo said with a laugh.   
"You really miss them" Dawn asked as he saw the faint glimmer of memory in Yakamo's eyes. 

"I miss them as much as you do. You know, they were my closest friends and I would have died for them if it meant that they could have lived" Yakamo answered his voice now lower than before.   
"I'm sorry" Dawn said.   
"Why? You have nothing to apologise for. Now I'm sure you probably have more questions that you would like to ask" Yakamo said. It was at the moment that Dawn remembered that there was on thing that he was still confused about but with all the talk about his parents, had forgotten to ask. 

"Well actually there is one. How did I get here?" Dawn asked.   
"Ah, my daughter Noriko brought you here three nights ago. You were badly wounded and in urgent need of medical attention and together we tended to your wounds. She told me of how you saved her from Tare and his goons. Although at first I was unable to recognise you, it was once you were all cleaned up that I soon realised who you were. At first I thought you were your father although I knew that it couldn't be but then I remembered that Marek and Clare had a son. You know you look exactly like your father whenever he was your age except that you have your mother's eyes" Yakamo replied. 

It was just as Dawn had finished his meal that he heard the door open and then the same voice that he had heard before he passed out.   
"Father, Father I'm back".   
"Hello my dear" Yakamo said as he walked over to greet his daughter. 

"Noriko, this is Dawn Kosime, he is the son of two of my oldest and dearest friends. Dawn, this is my daughter Noriko" Yakamo said.   
"How do you feel now" Noriko asked politely.   
"Better, Thank you. But how are you" Dawn replied as he stood up from his chair. He still couldn't believe that he had met one of his parent's dearest friends and it was then that he remembered his mother telling him once about Yakamo and of how he had helped them in the past. 

"I'm fine although if you hadn't of come when you did then I don't think that I would be standing here today" Noriko answered.   
"You give me too much credit when really I did nothing" Dawn said.   
"Or maybe it is just that you understate your importance in all this" Noriko replied.   
"Dawn is modest, perhaps too modest, my dear. It doesn't matter though; all that matters now is that we are all able to stand here today. Now come let us sit" Yakamo said. 

It was as Dawn was sitting back down that he remembered about the inn and about his horse Gearoid and how he must still be there along with some of his other possessions such as his spare clothes.   
"Yakamo, forgive me but I am afraid that I will have to take my leave" Dawn said as he got up from his chair. 

Then Noriko who had been busy putting away some fruit and vegetables upon hearing this turned around and asked "But why?"   
"My horse is still stabled at the inn and some of my possessions are still there and I would like to get them back" Dawn said.   
"But your wounds, their not fully healed yet" Noriko said concerned.   
"I'll be okay, I always am although I am grateful for everything that you have both done for me but I'm afraid that I must now leave" Dawn replied. 

"Now before you do anything. I think that I should tell you that the owner of the inn where you were staying is a friend of mine and that all of your possessions including your horse are here. He's stabled around back and may I say that he is a fine animal indeed, oh before I forget your other possessions such as your cloak and weapons are all here safely stored away in the backroom" Yakamo said.   
"You have both showed me so much kindness, how can I ever repay you" Dawn asked.   
"If you really want to repay us then all you have to do is stay here with us until you are fully healed" Yakamo replied. 

"Then please allow me to pay for my keep as I would only feel that I am taking advantage of your generosity" Dawn said. Yakamo laughed and replied, "You really are Clare and Marek's son, but you would not be taking advantage and I would be offended if I thought that you had to pay me and Im sure that Noriko would also be offended". 

"Well in that case then how can I refuse, although someday I promise that I will repay your kindness" Dawn replied. Yakamo laughed and after slapping Dawn on the shoulder said "Very well young Dawn and remember that you are more than welcome to stay as long as you like". 

......... 

So it was that Dawn spent the next few days with Noriko and her father Yakamo and it was over these few days that he learned more about his parents and also about the adventures and experiences that Yakamo and his wife Tahiri had shared with Dawn's parents. It was also during this period that Dawn spent some of his time in Yakamo's study reading his many books and scrolls. While the rest of the time he either spent it with Noriko or with Noriko and her father, which they either spent by sitting talking or by walking around the many markets and street stalls of Cerdula. This is because during the time that he had spent with them, Dawn had developed a close friendship with both Noriko and her father. It was then on the morning of the second day of the third week that Dawn had spent in Cesario that he was sleeping peacefully. When he was awoke by the sound of someone knocking on his bedroom door. 

"Dawn, Dawn are you awake" Noriko asked as she knocked gently on the door.   
"Yes, I'm awake" came Dawn's reply.   
"May I come in for a moment" Noriko asked.   
"Just a minute" Dawn answered.   
"Sorry Dawn, I'll ah come back when you're ready" Noriko replied clearly embarrassed. 

Dawn quickly threw on some clothes and ran to the doorway as he heard Noriko moving away and then opening the door he quickly walked out and said.   
"Noriko, its okay, what was it you were going to tell me". Noriko turned around and walked back to the doorway that Dawn was now standing beside. 

"Well, father and I were going to go for a picnic and I was wondering if you would like to come with us," Noriko asked.   
"I'd love too but I wouldn't want to intrude" Dawn said.   
"No you wouldn't be" Noriko replied.   
"Well I'll be down in a moment" Dawn answered.   
"Okay" Noriko said as she started to walk down the stairs. 

Once Dawn had lifted his cloak, he closed the door to his bedroom and made his way down the stairs. Once he came down he saw that Noriko was already waiting for him but Yakamo was just sitting in his chair reading a book.   
"Yakamo aren't you coming with us" Dawn asked curiously.   
"No I've decided to stay here, I'm not feeling very well but don't worry about me, you two go ahead and enjoy yourselves" Yakamo answered.   
"Are you sure father," Noriko asked.   
"Yes I'm positive, go ahead and forget about me, just go and enjoy yourselves" Yakamo answered once more.   
"Noriko, I'm just going to go and get my gear. Alright" Dawn said.   
"Alright, I'll go and see to the horses" Noriko said as she went outside to the horses. 

Dawn then went to the small room where his bow and quiver of arrows as well as his sword and dagger had been stored. Then picking them up he placed the dagger back in its sheath and the sword back into its scabbard and then placed his bow and quiver of arrows on to his back. As he walked out of the room and over to the door to the back of the house, Yakamo stood up from his chair and said.   
"Dawn I want you to do something for me"   
"Yes" Dawn replied.   
"I want you to protect Noriko for me and ensure that nothing happens to her as she is still in much danger" Yakamo asked.   
"I will protect her with my life" Dawn answered. 

"Thank you" Yakamo replied. Dawn then made his way to the outside of the house where he saw that Noriko was already sitting on her own horse as she held the reins to Dawns horse Gearoid who was already saddled and ready to depart. Dawn then walked over and taking Gearoids reins from Noriko as she handed them to him, got up on to the saddle.   
"I'll show you the way. So just try and keep up" Noriko said laughing.   
"Really, well then we'll just have to see about that now won't we, lead on" Dawn replied. 

Noriko then reared her horse and galloped off at full speed as Dawn on Gearoid sped off after her. It was not long before they had crossed the bridge out of the city and then across the land and were now coming nearer to the borders of one of the forests. Dawn and Noriko were now right beside one another and looking over at Noriko; Dawn saw her smile at him just before she rode on into the forest. The forest was large with wide-open spaces and in the distance Dawn thought that he could hear the familiar sound of water trickling. Noriko then shouted to him "Were almost there". They rode on through the forest until finally they came to a small lake unto which shone the light from the sun, illuminating the still waters. It was here that Noriko stopped and stepping down from her saddle she unbridled her horse and allowed it to graze freely. Seeing that this was the spot where they would stay, Dawn also stopped and getting down from Gearoid he unbridled him and allowed him to also graze freely and drink from the lake as it had been a long ride and both horses now needed to take a rest. 

"Well what do you think" Noriko asked.   
"It's beautiful" Dawn answered.   
"I used to come here all the time as a child," Noriko said as she laid a blanket down on the grass.   
"Really" Dawn asked.   
"Oh yes, as a child I would come here and swim or just sit and enjoy the peace and tranquillity" Noriko replied.   
"I too grew up around a forest" Dawn said.   
"You did, where" Noriko asked as she sat down on the blanket.   
"In Fanelia, my home was on the edge of the forest overlooking the city" Dawn said as he took of his cloak and sat down beside her. 

"So you come from Fanelia, Dawn" Noriko asked.   
"No, I was actually born and raised here in Cesario, that is until my mother and I moved to Fanelia" Dawn said.   
"What about your father?" Noriko asked curiously.   
"My father was killed by highway men on the journey to Fanelia. You see my mother and I went on to Fanelia to our new home and the plan was that my father would follow a few days later. Although he never did and it was then that we received the news that he was dead," Dawn said.   
"I'm so sorry" Noriko replied. 

"It's okay, it happened a long time ago. But come, this conversation is becoming far too dark, so please lets talk about something lighter instead" Dawn answered. They then sat and told each other stories of things that had happened in their lives and while some were funny and caused the two of them to laugh. Others were slightly more serious although Dawn always tried to bring in some sort of humour so as to lighten the mood and so they continued to talk and tell stories while they ate some of the food that Noriko had brought for them. After a while Noriko stood up and told Dawn to follow her as she walked to the waters edge. He then stood up and walked over beside her and together they stood and looked out over the lake.   
"Dawn" Noriko said as she turned towards him.   
"Yes" Dawn answered. 

"Tell me what you see" Noriko asked as Dawn looked at her with an expression of puzzlement.   
"Please, tell me what you see" she asked again.   
"Well I see the lake with its waters still and bright and I see the sun just above the trees and I see the trees with their leaves silhouetted by the light just on the other side of the lake" Dawn said.   
"Look closer" Noriko replied softly. 

"There is nothing else only…. Our reflections" Dawn said.   
"Ever since we came out here there has been something that I have wanted to tell you" Noriko said as she moved closer to Dawn. She then kissed him lightly on the cheek and said "You should have brought spare clothes" as she shoved him into the lake. Noriko then smiled and started to laugh and once Dawn had stood up and saw the look on her face. He too started to laugh and then bowing his head in defeat he said laughing.   
"Very good, you got me". 

"Come on out of there and dry off" Noriko shouted to him. Dawn then made his way out of the lake and back up on to the grass, his body and clothes now completely drenched as Noriko continued to laugh as he walked up to her and smiled.   
"I am so sorry Dawn but I couldn't resist" Noriko said as she wiped the tears from her eyes.   
"I know" Dawn said and then scooping her up in his arms he began to walk forwards into the lake as Noriko fought in vain to get free.   
"Please Dawn, put me down" Noriko pleaded with him. 

"But we are only going for a little walk" Dawn said softly as he stepped into the lake and began to wade out near to its middle.   
"The lake is so beautiful when you see it up close" Dawn said with Noriko now lying in his arms afraid to move in case he would drop her.   
"Please Dawn, take me back" Noriko pleaded with him. 

"Anything for a lady" and with that Dawn turned around and began to walk back towards the shore.   
"Thank you" Noriko said with a sigh of relief as Dawn smiled at her. Then lightly kissing her forehead Dawn whispered into her ear "You should have brought spare clothes". 

"No! Dawn! Dawn don't you dare!" Noriko said to him with fear in her voice but Dawn simply smiled back at her.   
"Dawn!" Noriko screamed as he threw her into the water in front of him. 

Luckily that part of the lake was shallow as it was closer to the shore although Dawn knew this and that was why he did what he did. Dawn then kneeled down in the water and extended his hand to Noriko who was also now completely soaked and brushing back her hair out of her eyes. She looked up at him and started to smile and taking his hand they stood up together and Noriko embraced him in a tight hug. So scooping her up once more Dawn carried Noriko back to the shore of the lake and then set her down gently on the blanket where they had been sitting earlier. Then taking his cloak which he had left beside the blanket earlier placed it around her shoulders for heat as they each lay back on the blanket and looked up at the sky. After a while it was Noriko who broke the silence when she turned to face Dawn.   
"Can I ask you a question Dawn" Noriko asked. 

"Go ahead" Dawn replied.   
"Well I've been wondering just how old you are" Noriko asked as she propped herself up on to her right shoulder.   
"Well why don't you take a guess" Dawn said slightly amused as he turned towards her.   
"Twenty Six?" Noriko asked. Dawn shook his head slightly in disagreement. 

"Lower" came Dawns reply.   
"Twenty Four?" Noriko asked and once again Dawn shook his head slightly in disagreement as he could see the look of astonishment in her eyes.   
"Surely you can't be twenty?" Noriko asked in amazement.   
"Twenty Two this summer" Dawn answered.   
"Then you are only slightly older than I am but how can someone so young possess so much skill" Noriko asked confused.   
"I'm constantly honing and refining my skills" Dawn replied in all seriousness. 

"Really" Noriko asked.   
"And it also helped that I had good teachers" Dawn said more lightly.   
"Are you okay" Dawn asked.   
"I'm absolutely fine" Noriko replied as she kissed him on the cheek.   
"What was that for?" Dawn asked suspiciously. 

"That's for everything including making today so wonderful" Noriko replied as she rested her head in his arms. As Dawn lay there beside her, all he could think of was how much he wanted to stay in that moment forever. It was not long before both Noriko and Dawn fell asleep underneath the trees and when they awoke once more they saw that the sun had almost fully set behind the canopy of the trees. It was Noriko however who awoke first and as she lay there with her head now on Dawn's chest, she could hear and feel the soft slow beat of his heart. She then sat up and was going to rouse him but decided against it and instead sat and watched him as he slept. However this was not the first time that she had watched over him as he slept as she had also watched over him after she had tended to his wounds in order to ensure that he was okay. 

Although it was as the light was beginning to fade and Noriko looked at Dawn that it seemed to her that all signs of weariness had fallen from him and that he was simply lost in peaceful dreams. A thought that comforted her as she had often heard and on one occasion even seen how badly Dawn suffered from the nightmares that seemed to haunt him constantly. It was in this moment that a thought came to Noriko's mind. 

"I think that maybe I … No I don't ..." Then looking at Dawns face once more, lost so peacefully in dreams, she began to wonder "Do I?" It was a few moments later that Dawn woke up and saw Noriko watching over him.   
"I guess my mother was right" he said as he sat up on the blanket.   
"Oh and what was that" Noriko asked as she leaned forward slightly.   
"She always told me that an angel was always watching over me" Dawn answered. Noriko then started to blush slightly as Dawn stood up and started to gather their gear. 

"Its starting to get dark and I think we should be getting back" Dawn said as he extended his hand to Noriko who took it and then he helped her up and for a brief few seconds they both saw deep into each others eyes before turning quickly away from one another. Dawn then gave a short whistle and at first only Noriko's horse Kale came but a few moments later his own horse Gearoid returned. Once the two horses were saddled and bridled once more and all the things from the picnic were packed they set off on their journey back to Cerdula although instead of racing in the way that they had done earlier. They instead went at a steady pace as neither Dawn nor Noriko were in any great hurry to return. Their journey for the most part was a silent one as each rider was lost in their own thoughts and it was only when they had returned to Noriko's home and had tied the horses up at the back of the house that the silence was broken. 

"Thank you again Dawn, I really enjoyed today" Noriko said as they made their way back into the house.   
"No, thank you, I haven't had so much fun in a long time" Dawn replied as they entered the house once more. 

……… 

"Noriko is that you" came Yakamo's voice from one of the other rooms across the way.   
"Yes it's me" Noriko replied.   
"Is Dawn with you" Yakamo shouted back.   
"I am" came Dawn's reply. 

"Excellent! I need you both to come here for a moment" Yakamo answered. So making their way to the room where Yakamo's voice had come from, Dawn followed Noriko as she entered through first. The room was of normal size and at the right of the room there was a small window overlooking the bottom half of the city and in the middle of the room sat Yakamo in a large wooden chair. In this room there was also a small desk and positioned at different points around the walls were several bookcases stocked full of books and just in front of Yakamo. Two more chairs had been positioned and as Dawn looked around he recognised this room as being Yakamos study where he had spent some of his time reading through the old texts. Yakamo stood up and greeted them as they entered. 

"Please sit down as what I am about to tell you concerns you both" Yakamo said.   
"What concerns me father" Noriko asked confused.   
"I'll tell you now" Yakamo said as he closed the door and sat back down in his chair.   
"The reason that it concerns you my dear is because I have been thinking about this all day and I've decided that it's finally time that I told you about my past" Yakamo said calmly. 

"But you always told me that you were a stable master at the castle, father" Noriko replied.   
"Well I'm afraid that wasn't entirely true but what I tell you now must stay for the most part between us three" Yakamo said.   
"Dawn, what do you know about your fathers past" Yakamo asked.   
"Not very much, Why?" Dawn asked puzzled.   
"Because what I am about to tell you both not only concerns my past but the past of your father and of how he really died," Yakamo said.   
"What" Dawn said in disbelief as he leaned forward in his seat. 

"Easy my young friend all will be revealed now, you see Cesario was originally split into two kingdoms that were ruled by two separate kings and it had stayed this way for many centuries. There were always wars between the two kingdoms and as a result it meant that the country would always remain divided. That is until about three decades ago whenever the princess of the southern kingdom and the prince of the northern kingdom fell in love. The two soon married and this then meant that Cesario was united once more and for many years there was peace as the wars of the past were forgotten. Now in the midst of all this stood your father Dawn and myself. As we were the personal bodyguards of the king and queen of the northern kingdom, which then ceased to be once, the young prince married. This was because the new kingdom was formed in the middle of Cesario so as to represent the unity of the new Cesario. We served under the new king and queen for many years, those were blissful years where everyone of Cesario was happy and content as the new king and queen were beloved by the people because of their kindness and generosity to their subjects. 

"Yakamo, I don't understand, what happened to the families to the new king and queen whenever the country united" Dawn asked. 

"Well you see once the young king and queen were wed and then coronated, their families were givien lordship over many of the lands of Cesario and have continued to rule them to this day. Anyway as I was saying this bliss was not to last as there was one who was always against this union of the two kingdoms, as they believed that the prince was betraying his people by marrying a southerner. This person was the captain of the king's guards The Wolves, a group of good, loyal men dedicated to protecting both the King and Queen and Cesario herself. However, unlike the men who served under him, the captain of the Wolves was a traitor to his king and his queen as he had been secretly plotting over the years to usurp them and divide the country once more. Now the traitor knew that the majority of The Wolves were men who were loyal to their King and Queen and so he sent a large force of the Wolves to strengthen the countries borders under the pretence that they needed protecting. 

Now that many of the men were gone there was only a small force of the wolves left in to protect the king and queen. Now the traitor Salus for it was he who was the Wolves captain was very cunning in the way that he executed his final treachery. For you see on the evening that the King was killed, Salus had the remainder of the wolves patrol the castle walls, as he feared that there might be an attempt on the king and queen's lives. You see this was the strength of his plan as he knew that his men and the king and queen trusted him so they would believe him if he said that there might be an attempt made on their lives. Little did they know that the danger was inside the castles walls and not outside of them as they had been led to believe? 

The king was in his throne room along with your father and me whenever the traitor Salus broke in supported by a group of around twelve men. A few of them were wolves who had joined Salus in his treachery while the rest were made up of mercenaries who had been brought in especially for this purpose. They attacked swiftly and silently and surrounded the king who fought bravely supported by those of us who were still loyal. However the king was quickly overthrown and died at the hands of Salus as did your father who had fought valiantly until the very end protecting both his king and the men who fought beside us. It was the worst day of my life whenever your father fell Dawn and in a rush of anger and hatred. I fought Salus in combat but he bested me and dealt me a grievous wound and it was as I lay there watching my comrades' fall around me. That I resigned myself to the fact that it was all over and so I allowed myself to fall into darkness. The last thing words I remember was someone saying "Where's the queen" and then Salus' voice answering "Forget her, the king is dead and our work here is over". After that all I remember is waking up a few hours later when it had all ended and the traitors had left as quickly as they had come that I awoke to find that my wounds were not as bad as I had first thought. 

At first I was ashamed and cursed the gods for allowing me to live while my king and comrades had all been killed by that traitorous scum Salus. It was then in that moment that I had to decide whether to lie there and wait for them to come back and finish me off. Or to take Marek's body and leave and have them believe that everyone who knew the truth was dead and return to live in secrecy with my young family in the hopes that someday the truth would be revealed. I made the decision to be the keeper of the truth until the time came for it to be revealed and that is why I tell you both now because if anything should ever happen to me then I want the truth of that day to be known" Yakamo said before finally he broke down in tears and Noriko quickly made her way over to her fathers chair in order to comfort him. 

Dawn was still trying to make sense of everything that he had been told as he ran it all through his mind and remembered the nightmares that had haunted him for so long as they began to flood back to him along with the things that the thug had said on the night that Noriko was attacked in the alley. Once Yakamo regained his composure, Dawn asked. 

"Yakamo, why tell us this now"   
"I know that you are haunted by nightmares about your father. In these dreams you see your father's death do you not" Yakamo replied.   
"Yes but how did you know that" Dawn said.   
"Because your dreams represent what happened on that fateful night although I'm afraid I can't explain any more than this because only you can decide the paths that you will walk on the road to fulfilling your destiny" Yakamo answered. 

"So did my mother know what really happened" Dawn asked.   
"Yes but before you ask why she never told you the truth I want you to consider one thing. Do you honestly believe in your heart and soul that you would have been able to handle the truth at such a young age" Yakamo replied as he watched Dawn.   
"No, You're right, I apologise" Dawn said.   
"You put yourself down too much Dawn, you reacted no differently than anyone else in your situation would have. Although you should know that your mother always intended to bring you here to hear the truth when you were old enough and so that you could also receive your father's last gift to you" Yakamo replied. 

Noriko who had remained silent the whole time then asked, "Father are you okay" her voice filled with sadness and concern.   
"I am fine now my dear, just glad to be able to finally tell someone about this after so many years of having to hide the truth and that is why I must thank you both for bearing with me. But please sit down and rest your legs" Yakamo said as he made his way over to then end of the room. Noriko returned to her seat by Dawn and placed her right hand on Dawn's left which was now starting to tremble. Noriko smiled at him as he looked around at her and she felt his hand begin to stop trembling. After much fumbling at the end of the room Yakamo finally found what he was looking for and returning to his seat. Dawn and Noriko saw that he was now carrying a large bundle that was wrapped in many layers of cloth. 

"Ah, here it is, as I have said after I had made my decision. I carried your fathers body away from the castle to a place where he could be given a proper burial and where he could be mourned properly without having his body desecrated by those scum" Yakamo told them as he pulled back the layers of cloth until finally sitting across his lap was a large sword still housed in its scabbard. Handing the sword to Dawn he said, "This was your father's sword" as Dawn removed the sword from its sheath and was struck by its sheer beauty. 

"The blade itself is made from the finest Cesarion steel and is fullered and tapered from the bronze cross guard to the tip of the blade; in the middle of the cross guard there is set a deep blue stone. The handgrip was created from wood and is wrapped in a rectangle of wet leather that has been dyed dark green and covers ten bronze rings that have been swathed on to the handle in order to give it extra grip. As well as this the pommel is also made from bronze and if you look closely you will see that it has been set with a large deep blue stone like the one in the cross guard and around this there are four different brightly coloured stones" Yakamo explained to Dawn.   
"Yes I see them but I'm not sure what they represent" Dawn replied. 

"Well the large deep blue stone in the middle represents the castle and Cerdula itself, the other four stones represent the outlying cities and their positions around the castle and Cerdula. From the pommel to the tip, the entire sword is around four feet and can be wielded either single handed or double handed, as it is light enough to do either" Yakamo said.   
"Yes, its unbelievable" Dawn said in amazement as he placed the sword back in its scabbard which was also made of wood that had been wrapped in wet leather and like the hilt had been dyed a dark green colour. 

"So it is now to you both that I entrust the truth of what happened to the king although I would ask once more that you do nothing and that you keep this to yourselves" Yakamo asked.   
"But how can we sit back and do nothing now that we know the truth. Surely we should tell the alliance and let them deal with this" Dawn said. 

"No! If you do that then you will endanger yourself and Noriko as well as the people of this country and this is because firstly your true identity will be revealed, then the fact that Noriko is my daughter will be revealed and Salus will learn that I am still alive. Finally you will endanger the people because Salus will find a way to conceal the truth and make it appear as though you are lying and then it will be the people who will suffer. No we must bide our time and wait because unbeknownst to Salus. The king's son is still alive and safely hidden from view waiting for his chance to avenge his father's death but only when the time is right" Yakamo replied. 

"The king's son!" Dawn and Noriko said at the same time in amazement.   
"Yes and it is because of this that you must keep this secret and do nothing" Yakamo said even more seriously.   
"I promise" Noriko replied.   
"As do I. However there are still some things that I am unsure of such as what happened to the remaining wolves and what of the steward as he has not been mentioned at all" Dawn replied. 

"Well firstly when the Wolves returned back and were told the terrible news of the king they mourned his death and swore to continue to protect Cesario and all of its people always should the young prince ever return? However as they have never returned and many people have lost hope that he is even still alive. This is why it is so important that the truth surrounding the prince is not revealed until the time has come for him to reclaim his throne. Secondly the steward Lord Grear has been steward of Cesario ever since the day when the new King and Queen of Cesario were crowned as it is both his and his descendants duties to watch over the country whenever the king and queen are away. Even if that means they have been gone for decades" Yakamo answered.   
"But does he know the truth of what happened and what of Salus what has happened to him" Dawn asked. 

"No I don't believe that Lord Grear does know as he is a good man who was fiercely loyal to the King and Queen and would have never gone along with any form of treachery towards them. No, Lord Grear like everyone else of Cesario still holds out hope that the prince will return to the throne someday. Salus has also not been seen since that fatal night although there are those of us who believe that he is still alive and is manipulating the steward somehow. Although because he has not been seen again this has meant that the Wolves are solely under the leadership of the steward although this would change should the prince ever return," Yakamo told them.   
"So on a lighter note how was the picnic" Yakamo asked. Noriko and Dawn simply looked at each other and started laughing and Yakamo soon followed them until eventually all three of them were laughing.   
"Thank you father, you always did know how to lighten a situation" Noriko said once they had all stopped laughing. 

"What can I say, I have a gift" Yakamo replied.   
"Getting back to the question, the picnic was wonderful" Dawn said.   
"Oh good. Now if there is nothing else then I believe that we should all retire to our beds and get some rest for tomorrow" Yakamo answered as he rose from his chair. 

They all made their way out of the room with Yakamo going out first, followed by Noriko and followed finally by Dawn. Yakamo wished them both a good night once they reached the top of the stairs and then walked to the end of the hall and into his own room. There was an awkward silence between Dawn and Noriko as they tried to think of what to say one another.   
"Well, goodnight Noriko"   
"Goodnight Dawn" 

Noriko then walked down to the end of the hall and into her bedroom as Dawn lingered in the doorway of his own room as he watched her leave and then once she had entered her room. He walked into his own room and after a few moments of just standing lost in his own thoughts. He looked down at his father's sword and then drawing the sword from its scabbard. He gazed at its craftsmanship and lightly swung it through a series of spins and parries still amazed at how light the sword felt to wield. He then began to think about all that Yakamo had told him that night and about what would happen now. It was as he stood gazing at his fathers sword that he finally decided that it was time to tell Yakamo and Noriko the reason for his being in Cesario and to also ask Yakamo if he knew where he could find a man called Yakamo Kosime or if he knew anything about either the elixir or more importantly one of the mystical objects. 

Then placing the sword back into its scabbard once more, Dawn kneeled down and carefully placed it under his bed where it would be safe. He had resolved that he would not use his father's sword until he had returned to Fanelia where there was less chance of anyone recognising where it came from and what it meant. Then standing up once more he changed and retired to his bed. 

……… 

They had all awoken late in the morning that day and were now all sitting around the small dining table down the stairs in the main living space of the house. As they sat and ate their breakfast together Yakamo told them about some of the old myths and legends of Cesario and as he did. Dawn decided that now was the best time to ask about this Yakamo Kosime that Sercole had told him about.   
"Yakamo" Dawn said.   
"Yes" Yakamo replied. 

"I was wondering if you knew anyone still living in Cesario by the name of Yakamo Kosime" Dawn asked.   
"I'm afraid I don't. Why do you ask" Yakamo replied.   
"I need to find him, I was told that he may have some information that I need" Dawn said.   
"Who told you to see him" Yakamo asked curiously.   
"An old friend of mine back in Fanellia" Dawn said.   
"What was his name" Yakamo asked.   
"Sercole, why do you know him" Dawn replied. 

"Of course I know Sercole he's an old friend of mine but I haven't seen him in years the old fool. The reason why I don't know anyone by the name of Yakamo Kosime in Cesario is because the old coot was talking about me Yakamo Veila" Yakamo answered and started laughing.   
"Oh god, I can't believe I didn't realise that sooner" Dawn answered.   
"Don't worry about it, so what did you need to come here to see me about that old Sercole wasn't able to tell you" Yakamo asked.   
"Well it's to do with the elixir of Atlantis" Dawn said. 

"I see, well what do you want to know" Yakamo replied.   
"Well along with my friends I'm trying to find the location of the three mystical objects but so far I've had no success" Dawn answered.   
"I'm afraid that I don't know very much about the three mystical objects. However there's always been a legend here in Cesario of something mysterious hidden away in the mountains" Yakamo replied.   
"Yakamo is there anyway that I can get to those mountains without arousing suspicion" Dawn said. 

"But Dawn, men have searched those mountains for decades and never come across anything even remotely mysterious" Yakamo told him.   
"There is one way but you'll have to use the paths that wind up behind the castle in order to get to the mountains and then once you in the mountains" Yakamo replied.   
"I'll leave now and take that road. Thank you again Yakamo" Dawn said as he took his leave and stood up from the table. 

"I'm coming with you" Noriko said as she too stood up from the table.   
"No, I will not risk putting you in danger" Dawn replied.   
"You can't stop me besides I know the layout of those mountains better than you do" Noriko said defiantly. 

Dawn looked at her and seeing the determination in her eyes bowed his head in defeat as he knew that there was no way that he was going to stop her from going but even though he was afraid for her safety. He was also glad that she would be coming with him as he was unaware of the layout of the mountains but also because he enjoyed her company. So once they were both ready they set off on their horses and rode out of the city and around its perimeter until finally they came to the road that led up into the mountains. They rode slowly up this rocky, uneven path as it wound its way higher and deeper into the mountains and they had been riding for around an hour and Dawn was contemplating going back as they had seen no sign of anything unusual. Until Noriko suddenly started to say in hushed tones "Dawn! Dawn! Look" as she pointed to a small path to the left that led to what appeared to be a crossroad. 

As they rode closer, Dawn saw that just visible was a design carved into the rock of what appeared to be a sword handle attached to a shattered blade and it was pointing to the path that ran in the north westerly direction.   
"What do you think? Shall we take that road or try one of the others" Noriko asked. 

"No, lets follow this road and see where it takes us" Dawn replied as he began to ride on up the path closely followed by Noriko. They rode on for a short distance until finally they came to an opening that had been carved into the cliff face and resembled a sort of rounded triangular shape. Once they had gotten down from their horses, Dawn took out a pair of torches from the travelling bag on the back of his saddle and lit them using two pieces of flint that he had brought. Then handing one of the torches to Noriko, they made their way into the cavern as they led their horses beside them. The cavern was cloaked in pitch darkness save for a small light that seemed to come from the end of the tunnel and for the light that came from the torches. There was no sound in the caverns other than the sound of Dawn and Noriko walking with their horses. They walked for what seemed like hours as there only seemed to be one way that they could go as there appeared to be no other tunnels that they could see nor was their any other sign of movement. 

It was because of this absence of other sounds or movement that a growing sense of uneasiness slowly crept over both Dawn and Noriko as they walked further and further through the cavern. In an attempt to the lift the uneasiness that he himself felt and the uneasiness that he could see was plaguing Noriko as well. Dawn asked,   
"Are you okay".   
"I'll be better once we get back out of here" Noriko replied with a smile. 

They then saw that they were now coming closer to the small light that they had noticed earlier and once they had walked a few metres further they reached it. Dawn then handed the reins of his horse over to Noriko and then drawing his sword said to Noriko "I'll scout ahead" as he walked forward into the light. He was gone for what seemed to Noriko like an eternity as she stood alone in the cavern with only the horses beside her as the flame in her torch started to burn out. Although Dawn soon came back and told her of how there was another cavern to the right and that it seemed to be shorter in length than the one that they had just come through. 

So Noriko followed him once more as he led the way into the next cavern and as he walked forward a few steps more a creaking noise filled the air and then right in front of her eyes Dawn fell through the ground.   
"Dawn!" Noriko shouted as she let go of the horse's reins and ran forward to the large hole that Dawn had just fallen through. Vaguely she could see the figure of Dawn below as he stood up and dusted himself down. 

"Are you okay" she shouted.   
"I'm fine" Dawn replied as he picked up his sword and torch. 

As he lifted the torch up which was luckily still burning he saw that he was standing in a wide-open space with the small hole that he had fallen through above him which now allowed a small stream of light to enter into the space. It was as Dawn eyes were readjusting to the light after walking for so long through darkness that he saw that the light was actually falling on to an old and slightly withered tree that was only marginally taller than a fully-grown man. Its leaves were light brown with slight tinges of green around the edges and its trunk was twisted backwards towards the point of the light.   
"I've found it" Dawn thought to himself. 

"What is it" Noriko shouted down anxiously.   
"Noriko, I've found it, the tree of life, one of the three mystical objects" Dawn replied. He then moved cautiously forward and putting away his sword, drew his dagger instead and then waited a few seconds just in case anything would happen. When he was sure that it was safe he held up the small box that he always kept for travelling items and scraped some of the bark off the tree into the box being careful not to take too much. He then reached up and did the same to a few of the leaves on the branches again being careful not to take too much and then placed the box back in one of the pouches on his belt. Dawn then walked back into the light of the hole above his head and said. 

"Noriko, I need you to lower down a rope so I can climb out of here". Noriko then nodded her head and walked over to her own horse Kale and from his saddle bag removed the coil of rope that she had brought. Then taking one end of the rope, she tied it around a large rock that was not too far from where Dawn had fell and then taking the other end lowered it through the hole. Once the rope was lowered, Dawn began to climb back up out of the hole and when he reached the top of the hole he was helped out by Noriko. 

They then made their way back out of the caverns being careful not to disturb anything else within the caverns in case they found that the whole place would cave in and trap them there. As they made their way back out on to the cliff face they had to turn away and shield their eyes slightly so as to give them a chance to readjust to the light once more. When they looked around they saw that they were not alone as facing them now was a group of eight men. 

"We'd like a word with Miss Veila in private" one of the men said.   
"Surely whatever you have to say to Miss Veila could be said to her here and now" Dawn replied.   
"This is private business" the man replied.   
"Why what's so important that it can't be said in front of me" Dawn asked curiously.   
"I'm through playing games, give us the girl now or we will kill you both where you stand" the man answered angrily. 

"I have already told you that whatever you have to say to her can be said here" Dawn replied as calmly as he could even though he was becoming more and more agitated by the speakers arrogance.   
"One way or the other she is coming with us" the man replied angrily as he drew his sword and ran forward as his companions did the same. 

"Stay close to me" Dawn said to Noriko as he grabbed his bow and pulled an arrow from the quiver and shot the first attacker as he ran forward and then drawing another arrow shot the next attacker as all the time they continued to come closer and closer. The horses who were now spooked were jumping around trying to hit the attackers with their hooves who continued to charge on regardless. Dawn managed to kill two more of the attackers before they had gotten too close and he had to abandon the use of his bow and instead draw his sword. Noriko who had brought her dagger quickly drew it as she waited for the attackers to get close enough for her to strike back. The first of the four remaining attackers ran in and dodging the slash of Dawns sword, attacked with their own forcing Dawn to move sideways to avoid it. Dawn then smashed his attacker on the side of his face with the full force of his sword and then blocked an attack from the second attacker as his first opponent stumbled backwards. 

It was while Dawn was dealing with the first two men that the last two had rushed on past him and had begun to attack Noriko who had managed to dodge the first attack and then quickly stab her attacker in the shoulder. Then while he moved back to recover from his wound, the next attacker moved forward and kept a distance that gave him enough reach with his sword to attack Noriko although she couldn't reach him as her dagger was about half the length of his sword. It was in this moment that Noriko remembered about her torch and using it as a brand managed to hold off her attacker and once she had made him back far enough away. She threw the torch at him, which caused his clothes to burst into flames, and as he reeled in pain, Noriko quickly ran in and stabbed him in the heart. This only served to further enrage her first attacker who ran forward and immediately started attacking Noriko as he spat at her "You Bitch!" 

Dawn was still fighting off his second attacker when he saw the second man who had attacked Noriko stumble backwards aflame and then saw Noriko kill him and move backwards quickly as her first attacker went after her again with increased ferocity. Seeing this stirred an urgency within him that made him fight even more viciously than what he normally would as he struggled to find a way to get over to her. His opponent started to attack more and more erratically but to no effect as Dawn blocked each attack and then knocking the sword from his attacker's hand. He sliced them across the chest and as they fell on their knees to the ground holding their chest he slit their throat with a quick flick of his sword and then the first attacker who had now recovered once more ran in and started slashing even more wildly than his companion had. 

As Dawn was taking on his last enemy, Noriko was fighting for her life against her own enemy. This was because she was trying to block her opponent's attack while trying to attack back at someone who was constantly dodging her attacks. She had managed to give him nasty wounds though on his arm and leg although it didn't even seem to faze him as he just kept coming. He then punched Noriko on the side of the head knocking her painfully to the ground and it was as she was trying to gather her senses. That he kicked her dagger out of her hand and sent it skimming along the ground into the darkness of the cavern and stood over her gloating as he slapped her painfully with the back of his fist as she tried to back away. 

Dawn was now fighting his first opponent again and was driving him backwards forcing him to remain on the defensive while Dawn continued his attack. He then slashed at his opponent's neck and his opponent blocked this but this was what Dawn had intended and in the blink of an eye he drove his knee into his attacker's chest causing him to tumble backwards. Dawn then drew his bow once more and pulling an arrow from his quiver shot his opponent in the chest. Then quickly turning around, Dawn saw Noriko's attacker raise his sword ready to strike and immediately drawing an arrow. Took aim and fired at the last of the attackers who then fell to the ground as Dawn's arrow pierced his heart just as he was about to strike and then dropping his sword he fell to the ground. 

Dawn then sheathed his sword and ran over to where Noriko lay slumped against the entrance to the cavern and kneeled down beside her.   
"Noriko" he said with a sigh of relief as she wrapped her arms tightly around him.   
"Dawn!" Noriko replied with tears in her eyes. 

"Come on, let's get back" Dawn said, as Noriko released him from her tight embrace. Once they had both stood up, Dawn saw to his relief that the horses were unharmed and had remained with them the whole time. So lifting Noriko up he placed her back on to her horse and then got back on to his own horse and together they made their way back down the rocky, winding paths until finally they reached the end of the road and were riding across the bridge once more up into the city and then finally they were back home. Once they had shared a meal with Yakamo and had told him of all that had happened, Yakamo concluded that they must have been Salus' men, Noriko then excused herself and went to bed leaving only Yakamo and Dawn still downstairs. Once he was sure that Noriko had retired to her bed Dawn said to Yakamo. 

"Yakamo, I can't stay here any longer, I'll leave tomorrow"   
"Why?" Yakamo asked confused.   
"It doesn't matter" Dawn answered silently.   
"Yes it does, Dawn I want to know what's happened that would make you have to leave so suddenly" Yakamo replied. 

"Noriko almost died today because of me and I care about her too much to put her in danger again" Dawn said silently.   
"If you truly cared for her then you wouldn't leave without telling her" Yakamo replied sternly.   
"I'm doing this because of how much I do care for her because if I leave now then she can forget about me and I will bring no more pain to your family" Dawn said sadly.   
"If you do this, you'll break her heart" Yakamo said.   
"What do you mean" Dawn replied. 

"Dawn just because I am old does not mean that I am blind, I've seen the look in her eyes whenever she's with you and I've also seen how much more happier she's been since you came" Yakamo said.   
"Believe me Yakamo I would stay here forever if I could but I can't because if I did then I would only be putting Noriko in more danger" Dawn answered.   
"You don't know that" Yakamo replied. 

"Don't I! Yakamo she almost died today because I was unable to protect her" Dawn said.   
"But she didn't did she" Yakamo answered. 

"I'm sorry Yakamo but my minds made up, I'm going to leave tomorrow and return to Fanelia" Dawn replied.   
"You know, you bear too many burdens for such young shoulders to carry" Yakamo said. 

"Please Yakamo, don't tell her I'm gone until I'm far away from here" Dawn replied.   
"I promise. But surely you don't intend to leave now" Yakamo asked.   
"No, I'm too weary, I'll go first thing in the morning while Noriko is still asleep" Dawn answered.   
"Go then and get some rest and I'll prepare your things for the morning" Yakamo said. 

"Thank you, for everything" Dawn replied as he walked up the stairs to his bedroom and laying down on top of the bed still in the clothes he had wore earlier, he fell into a deep sleep the moment his head hit the pillows. 

……… 

When Dawn awoke that morning he saw that the sun was only beginning to rise and that it was also raining slightly. As he came out of his bedroom he looked down the hallway and saw that Noriko's bedroom door was lying half open. So walking down he saw that she was lying fast asleep and also that her bed sheets had slipped down slightly from her shoulders. Dawn walked over to her bed quietly and pulled the sheets back up and kissed her lightly on the forehead and then closed the door behind him as he left. As he walked down the stairs he saw that all his things had been prepared and that Yakamo was standing waiting on him.   
"Good luck and may you have a safe journey" he said. 

"I can't thank you enough for all that you have down for me Yakamo" Dawn replied and then he made his way out through the door to the back of the house and taking Gearoids reigns began to walk away.   
"You don't want to leave either do you old friend" Dawn said to Gearoid as they walked away from the house and Gearoid tipped his head in agreement. Dawn pulled up the hood on his cloak and walked silently through the streets with Gearoid as he didn't want to wake anyone by riding down through the streets, as most people would still be asleep in their beds. The rain now poured down even heavier as Dawn came nearer to the edge of the city as he walked in a sort of half day dream lost in his own thoughts. However, he suddenly became aware that he was not alone and whispering to Gearoid to remain calm they continued to walk on. This was because Dawn could faintly hear the sound of another pair of feet splashing on the rain soaked ground and moving his hand to the hilt of his sword he waited until the footsteps were nearer. They had just come to the edge of the city and Dawn could hear that the footsteps were now closer and slapping Gearoid on the back causing him to ride slightly further ahead. 

Dawn drew his sword as he spun around to meet whomever had been shadowing him and saw a cloaked figure jump at him knocking him painfully to the ground and also knocking his sword out of his hand as it fell and clattered on to the rain soaked cobble stones. The attacker then said to him as they pulled back their hood. 

"Did you really think that you could slip off without me knowing about it?"   
"Noriko" Dawn said as Noriko wrapped her arms around him and held him close as she kissed him passionately.   
"I love you too much to let you leave like this" Noriko said with tears in her eyes. 

"You love me" Dawn said in disbelief.   
"Yes you fool" Noriko replied as she continued to kiss him.   
"Noriko I love you too and I've wanted to tell you that for so long that it's felt like an eternity" Dawn said as he held her even closer and returned her embrace.   
"Then why did you try to slip off without telling me" Noriko asked as she pulled away.   
"I did it because I was afraid of putting you in danger and I was afraid that maybe I would lose you like I almost did yesterday and the thought of that scares me more than anything else in this world" Dawn said as they both stood up.   
"Dawn, I love you too much to let you leave without me" Noriko said. 

"Noriko, if you come with me, then you will always be in danger and I can't bear the thought of you getting hurt" Dawn said seriously.   
"I would walk into the jaws of death if it meant that I could be with you always" Noriko replied.   
"I'm not going to win this argument, am I" Dawn said laughing.   
"No!" Noriko replied smiling. 

"I love you!" Dawn said as they embraced and kissed once more.   
"But what about your father, does he know about all this" Dawn then asked concerned.   
"Of course! He told me to go with his blessings" Noriko replied.   
"Then I guess it's back to Fanelia" Dawn said laughing. 

"Then lets go" Noriko said as Dawn whistled for Gearoid who quickly returned.   
"Here let me help you up" Dawn said to Noriko as he offered her his hand.   
"It's okay, I didn't come alone" Noriko replied as she gave a soft low whistle and after a few moments, her own horse came and she got on to the saddle.   
"Noriko before we go there's something that I need to tell you" Dawn said. 

"Dawn, what's wrong" Noriko asked slightly concerned.   
"Once we reach Fanelia, we can't let anyone know that were in love because if the king's enemies found out then they may try and use you as a means of getting to me. Instead we'll just tell people that we are childhood friends and that you've been sent back with me as a messenger of your father. Although we will never be far from one another I promise" Dawn replied as he took Noriko's hand in his own. 

"I could endure anything if it meant that we could be together always" Noriko said as they kissed once more.   
Dawn then got up on to Gearoid's saddle and along with Noriko they rode off across the bridge and past the city on their way back to Fanellia. 

......   
**End of Chapter Five**   
_Sundance_   
**21.05.04**   
…… 

**Author Message:**   
I'm afraid that I can't apologise enough for the length of time that it has taken me to release this chapter as it was a lot longer than what I had originally intended would be the length of time before this chapter was released. There are many different reasons for this which I will now explain. The first is that with having so much assignment work to do for my course 

I'm afraid that it took longer than I wanted to do the rewrites on this chapter. The second and main reason is that the chapter you have just read is not the original chapter 5, now I know that is confusing but please allow me to explain. I have been planning the events of this chapter for a long time as it was solely concerned with the emerging relationship between Dawn and Noriko something that has an effect on both this story Shadows of the past and on Butch's story Descended Shadow. You see back at the start of February I was sick with the flu and while I was sick I started to come up with all these different ideas for chapter 6 as this was the chapter that would follow on from the cliff-hanger at the end of chapter 4. 

As it would tell the story of Dawn finding one of the mystical objects as well as dealing with the emerging relationship between him and Noriko the girl who healed his wounds. This was because Dawn and Norikos relationship is something that I have been designing from the start. So because I was feeling sick and was looking forward to doing chapter 6 I just decided to go ahead and skip chapter 5 for the moment and then write 6 but this would prove to be my downfall as I will explain in a moment. I wrote chapter 6 in three days and was quite pleased with it and then showed it to Butch who also enjoyed it especially the scene at the lake whenever Noriko pushes Dawn in. So everything was fine with chapter 6 but the problem that I now faced apart from having to do a very large assignment as well as some smaller ones. Was that I still had to write chapter 5 as it was coming nearer to the release date chapter 4 and so it meant that I would have start to writing soon. 

Chapter 5 proved very hard to write as I left it for around one and a half to two months before I did any serious work on it. The problem however was that in this time I had developed a sort of mental and emotional block over this chapter because of soon it had to be released and also because of all the plot points I needed to set up in it which I'm sorry but I can't tell you about as I still plan to use them. This meant that the chapter felt forced as I was only writing because I needed to not because I wanted to and so I managed to write I think it was two and a half pages but I can't quite remember at the moment. It then got to the stage that Chapter 4 had been released for over a month and both Butch and myself felt that it wasn't fair to keep the readers on a cliff-hanger for so long. 

So Butch came to me with the idea of taking the chapter 6 that I wrote and then this as chapter 5 which I have done as it tells the readers what happens after 4 whereas the planned chapter 5 would have worked within the same period of a month as the chapter 6 did. So here it is Shadows of the past chapter 5 and once again I do apologise for the length of time it has taken to release this chapter and I just hope that you all enjoy reading this chapter as I did writing it as along with chapter 4 it is one of my favourites. 

Please if you have any questions then don't hesitate to email them to the usual address or to leave them in the reviews section for this story. As I always glad to read the reviews for the chapters to see what you think of the chapters and of how the story is going. I also give you my solemn promise that I will continue to work in ascending order for these chapters and not move out of sequence again. 

Also, don't forget that if you have enjoyed this chapter then have a read at the Descended Shadow story which is written by my friend and collaborator Butch and continues on twenty years after the end of this story and twenty four years after the end of the Escaflowne TV series. Well that's it really so until Chapter 6 I will see you all later. Also Chapter 6 should be up a month after this as usual as my course is finishing soon which means that I will have more time to work on the chapters.   
Sundance 

End. 


	6. Twin Angels Flight

A VISION OF ESCAFLOWNE   
**Shadows Of The Past   
Chapter VI**   
_Twin Angels Flight_

**Disclaimer** – Escaflowne is not mine; the characters and story are the property of Bandai entertainment. The story and characters of 'The Descend Shadow' or 'Shadows of the Past' are the property of Butchs Fan Fiction Forum . Before use of these characters or elements of the story please get permission from Butch Cassidy at 

......... 

"Sadako!" Hitomi screamed. She sat bolt upright in her bed, the beads of sweat dotted her forehead and her hands felt clammy and cold. She had just seen the same death of her daughter at the hands of some shadowed assailant; she began to shiver as the images continued to flood through her mind of the look of fear and shock on her daughter's face. Although it was only a vision and may never come true, the image of the fear on Sadako's face shook Hitomi to the core of her being. This is because the hardest thing that any parent can ever witness is the death of their own child, even if that child has not yet been born. 

Hitomi pulled back the covers on the bed and placing her feet on the floor of the room, walked over to the small dressing table at the end of the room, she lifted a small glass of water and then walked to the window. Opening it she sat down on the chair that she had tripped over just a month ago while trying to escape Merle and that horrible dress. The sun was just beginning to rise whenever she sat down beside the window, her hands still cold and shivering with fear. She took a small drink of water in order to try and calm her nerves and then looking out and lifting her head up to look up at the light of the early morning sun. As it rose it began to shine in onto her. Warming her body with its glow, helping to take her mind off what she had just seen. As she looked out over the city once more as the light bounced off the many houses below and off the tall outer defence towers of the castle as they stood looking out over all of Fanel, the tall and silent guardians of the city. The thought of these remindedher of Dawn and of the last council they had all attended together. She then started to giggle as she remembered the look on Gaddes face as he bolted out of his chair in shock and slight fear. 

She longed to see a familiar face but she did not want to disturb anyone from their slumber and it was in this moment that Hitomi thought she could hear a faint knock on the door to her room. At first she ignored it, dismissing it as simply her mind playing tricks on her but then the sound came again followed by someone whispering.   
"Hitomi, Hitomi, are you alright" 

The voice sounded familiar and then Hitomi replied.   
"Merle, is that you"   
"Yes its me, can I come in?" Merle replied. 

Placing her glass on the window ledge, Hitomi made her way over to the door and opened it and sure enough there was Merle standing but instead of having a large grin the way she normally did. She instead had a look of concern and walking into the room turned to Hitomi and said.   
"Are you okay Hitomi, I heard your scream"   
"I'm fine Merle, I just had a nightmare that's all" Hitomi said as she smiled weakly. 

"Are you sure you're okay" Merle asked again concerned.   
"I'm fine Merle honestly, just a little shaken up that's all" Hitomi replied.   
She then walked over and sat down again beside the window and took another drink from the glass and when she had finished, Merle said with a grin.   
"Hey do you want to go down and raid the kitchen, there'll be no-one there"   
"Lets do it" Hitomi replied. 

"Ok, I'll check that the coast's clear while you get changed" Merle said.   
"Ok" Hitomi replied.   
Merle then left while Hitomi dressed and when she had finished dressing it was not long before Merle returned and crept back into the room.   
"Ok the coast's clear, lets go" 

Merle and Hitomi then crept down through the corridors being careful not too wake anyone and then down the spiral stairs that led to the royal kitchens. It was here that Merle cooked them up some breakfast, which they then ate, while they talked and laughed about funny experiences that they had both had. Once they had finished eating they decided to go for a walk around the gardens still talking as they walked until finally they started to meet some of the people who were now beginning their duties at the castle. They passed the large training arena and saw a few of the soldiers training and then they began to make their way back until they came to the large marble fountain where they decided to give their feet and legs a rest for a while. 

After a while Von came out into the gardens and then seeing Hitomi and Merle made his way over to the fountain a small smile on his face as if he was still laughing about something. Then seeing the look on his face Merle asked accusingly.   
"What are you smiling about?" 

"Well it would appear someone was in the kitchen when they shouldn't have been last night" Von said, and Merle smirked, "You wouldn't know anything about that now, would you Merle"   
"Me, now what would I be doing down in the kitchens Von, really" Merle said innocently as she stood up and began to walk away.   
Von just laughed and walked up to Hitomi and kissing her on the cheek said "Good Morning".   
"Good Morning" Hitomi replied as she smiled back at him. 

"Hitomi there's an errand that I have to do this morning and I was wondering if you would like to come with me" Von asked.   
"I'd love to but where do you need to do" Hitomi replied.   
"Now you'll just have to wait and see, won't you"   
Von then led Hitomi down to the stables where they were met by the head stable hand Gercop who informed Von that his horse was already saddled and ready to go. Von thanked him and then led Hitomi down through the stables until they came to the last stall in the stable and stabled here was a dark brown horse and it reared its head and neighed as it saw Van and Hitomi approaching.   
"Hitomi this is Tare" Von said as he stroked Tares head and neck. 

"I've never ridden before" Hitomi said slightly anxiously.   
"There's nothing to worry about, you'll be riding on Tare with me and I won't let anything happen to you. You can stroke his mane if you'd like" Von said as he urged Hitomi forward. Slightly cautiously, Hitomi made her way into Tare's stall although the horse never moved once and then placing her hand on Tare's head began to cautiously stroke his mane. As Hitomi stroked his head she began to feel more at ease, as Tare responded to her touch and even neighed softly a few times, which made Hitomi laugh. Von then helped her up into the saddle and then climbing up himself and sitting down took Tare's reins and then asked Hitomi   
"Are you okay" 

"Fine, I feel more at ease now" Hitomi replied.   
"Ok then, lets go" Von answered and with that they set off and were soon out of the castle and riding down through the city passing some traders as they began to set up their stalls ready for a new day. After a short time they had come out of the lower city and were now crossing the river and coming into the second city that was nearer to the outer walls of the city. As Von began to spur Tare on faster, she clasped her arms around his waist slightly tighter afraid to let go in case she would fall. This did not seem to bother Von as he just smiled at her and reassured her of how he would not allow her to fall. Encouraged by Von's reassurance, Hitomi slowly lifted her head in order to gaze at the surroundings. 

They were now coming to the outer most walls of the city and all along the walls, Hitomi could hear the cry.   
"Open the gates, the king approaches, open the gates"   
As they were passing through the gates Von lifted his hand in acknowledgment and the guards then repeated this in acknowledgement to Von. 

Once they had passed through, Hitomi could hear the hinges of the large wooden gates creaking as the guards closed them over once more. It was then that Hitomi looked up and saw the vast mountain ranges of Fanelia with their peaks reaching into the clouds and for a moment she was struck by their sheer majesty.   
"Their beautiful aren't they, it's as if they touch the very heavens themselves" Von said.   
"Yes they are" Hitomi replied in wonder. 

They continued to ride on as the sun still hung in the sky still not fully rose in the sky shone down brightly over all the land and for a short time they rode on in silence and then Von began to tell Hitomi some of the history of Fanelia and of its myths and legends. Things such as the first coming of the dragons to Fanelia and the legend of the great warrior Tarnan who along with his king and a group of knights under his command fought a yearlong battle against forces who sought to invade Fanelia and plunder its lands. It is said that they held them back at Fanelia's borders by constantly harrying them from the cover of the forest and the mountains. Even back on earth Hitomi had always loved to listen to her fathers many stories of the many myths and legends of the world and it was as she listened to Von's stories that she remembered her father reading these same kinds of stories to her nightly as a child. It was just as Hitomi was about to ask Von where they were going that Von told her.   
"Were getting close now" 

They then came to the edge of the forest and Von continued to ride forward through the forest taking many twists and turns but it seemed to Hitomi that it was almost as if Tare already knew the route to take. They rode on passed a large fallen down tree, which Tare cleared effortlessly and then, continued on forward before taking a turn to the left that led them to a small clearing. Hitomi then became aware of something in the distance and as they came closer she realised that it was a house. Finally Von said. 

"Were here" and then stopped Tare just beside the house and stepping down first offered Hitomi his hand which she gladly accepted as she now felt stiff from all the riding. Von then helped her down and then taking Tares reins led him around to what seemed to be the back of the house and stroking Tare's head he undid the bridle and then the saddle. At the back of the house there was a small trough of water, which Tare thirstily drank from, and then going to the saddlebags. Von produced what appeared to be two small drinking canteens and gave one to Hitomi. Once they had both had a drink, Hitomi asked curiously.   
"So where are we Von?" 

"This is Dawn's home" Von replied after taking another drink of water from the canteen.   
"I don't understand, I thought Dawn lived at the castle" Hitomi asked confused.   
"He does, but he still uses his home here whenever he comes back from long journeys or whenever he just feels like coming home" Von replied.   
"Ok, but why are we here" Hitomi asked curiously. 

"Ah, I was wondering when you would ask that. Well there are two reasons, the first is that I promised Dawn before he left that I would keep an eye on the place for him and the second is that after all the studying and research that we have done over the past month. I just felt that it was time I got you out of the castle for a few hours and saw something of the land that I call home" Von answered.   
"Thank You" Hitomi replied. Von just smiled and said. 

"Look, you wait here Hitomi while I go in and make sure that there's no-one else around. Then once I'm sure it's safe I'll come back and get you, okay"   
"Okay" Hitomi replied. 

Von then turned and walked around the corner to the front door of the house and taking the key from his pocket inserted it into the lock and twisted it but to his surprise, the lock was already open. Quickly placing the key back in his pocket, Von drew his sword and slowly pushed the door open. Cautiously he walked in through the doorway and at first saw no signs of any other movement as the front corridor was cloaked in darkness, the only light streaming in from the downstairs windows. He continued to move cautiously and silently through the doorway, his sword drawn and his ears straining for the slightest sound of other movement. He was now fully through the doorway and still he could not hear or see any signs of other movement either from downstairs where he was or from the upstairs rooms. Even his own breathing, which he was keeping to a low now seemed deafening in his ears. He continued to walk slowly down the hall when suddenly he felt something strong strike to his wrist, so strong that it knocked his sword right out of his hand. Then before he had time to react he felt a strong punch to the side of his face, so strong that it sent him crashing into the nearby table, the small glass vase falling and shattering on the floor. As Von lay there amongst the broken wood, his back slumped against the wall, his mind and senses reeling from the impact of the blow. All he could see still was darkness except for the light from the windows and the light that was now coming in through the open doorway. 

He then became painfully aware of the point of the cold steel that was pointed into his throat; his mind was still reeling unable to believe the quickness and the efficiency of the attack. All Von could think about as he tried to focus on what had just happened was the hope was that there was only one attacker and that Hitomi was okay. Von was about to place his hand to his now throbbing head when suddenly he felt the tip of the blade be pointed deeper into his neck and slowly he put his hand back down. He then became dimly aware of a voice speaking to him and at first he couldn't make it out through the ringing in his ears and then he heard the voice saying louder this time. 

"Who are you and what are you doing trying to attack my home". With this the attacker stepped out of the shadows and into the light of the open doorway and as they did. Von began to regain his senses especially upon seeing who the attacker was and then coughing slightly he laughed and said. 

"It's no wonder you never get anyone to come out here if this is how you welcome your guests". Upon hearing Von's voice the attacker withdrew their sword and offered Von their hand and then helped him to his feet. "Von are you okay" 

"Well I'm not going to die if that's what you mean" Von said with a laugh.   
Hitomi then came running to the open doorway and upon seeing the two figures silhouetted in the light ran in and quickly asked.   
"Dawn?! What happened?!" 

As Hitomi came closer into the hall of the house she could see that Von looking like he had just fought with a dragon and Dawn standing bare chested as he held his sword.   
"Here follow me there's a table and some chairs through here" Dawn said as he led them through a door to their left that led into a room that seemed to be connected onto a kitchen and in which there was a large rectangular wooden table, around which were placed six chairs. 

"Here sit down here, Von" Dawn said as he pulled out one of the chairs from the table and helped Von over to it with the help of Hitomi.   
"What happened" Hitomi asked again.   
"I'm sorry, I'll have explain in a moment as there's something I need to do" Dawn replied as he made his way back out through the doorway.   
"What was that all about" Hitomi asked. 

"I have no idea, all I know is that the house was already open and when I came in to investigate, I got jumped and then next thing I know my sword has been thrown from my hand and I'm lying on the ground where I've just been knocked through a table" Von said.   
"Once I heard all the noise, I wasn't sure what was happening" Hitomi said quietly.   
"I didn't mean to scare you" Von said as he kissed her hand. 

Hitomi then sat down in the chair that was beside Von as they waited for Dawn to return and as she looked around the room she noticed a large painting hanging on the far wall. It appeared to be some sort of portrait as it portrayed a man and woman standing with a young boy. It was as Hitomi looked at this painting and the people who were portrayed in it that she realised how similar the young boy looked to the tall man who stood behind him and of how much this man resembled Dawn. This was because the man had the same brown coloured hair that Dawn had as well as a face that showed someone who may have been wise beyond his years. Hitomi was then struck by how beautiful the woman who stood beside him was, as she had long red hair and unlike the man who stood beside her who appeared to have blue eyes. She appeared to have greenish blue eyes and her face was young and fair and to Hitomi's eyes showed no signs of worry or sorrow. The young boy on the other hand seemed to be a combination of both these people as he had the brown hair of the tall man in the picture while having the same eyes as the woman in the picture as they were not blue nor were they green but rather a combination of the two. 

Hitomi then began to wonder if maybe this was Dawns mother and father before they had passed away although these thoughts were interrupted when Von noticing what Hitomi was looking at said.   
"I see you've found Dawn's family portrait"   
"So those are Dawn's parents" Hitomi asked.   
"That's them" Von replied. 

Hitomi then continued to look around the room while Von rubbed the side of his face where Dawn had punched him. A few moments later Dawn returned now fully dressed in a pair of blue trousers, a white long sleeved shirt, and his soft leather boots. Although he was not alone as just behind him stood a young woman with long black hair and then as Dawn walked forward she moved to his side.   
"Von, Hitomi, this is Noriko Veila a friend of mine from Cesario, she has come as a messenger of her father. Noriko I would like you to meet my close friends Von Fanel and Hitomi Kanzaki" Dawn said. 

"Nice to meet you" Noriko replied as she stepped forward to greet them.   
"It's nice to meet you too Noriko" Hitomi answered.   
"A pleasure" Von said as he tipped his head in reply to Noriko's greeting.   
Dawn then moved forward and pulled out a seat from the table which Noriko sat down in and then pulling out a seat for himself, sat down beside her.   
"Are you back long" Von asked.   
"No, we only arrived back here yesterday just after midday" Dawn replied. 

"Dawn there's something I still don't understand" Hitomi asked.   
"Yes" Dawn replied.   
"Why did you attack Von" Hitomi asked curiously.   
"Well how long do you have" Dawn answered with a laugh.   
"As long as it'll take" Von answered. 

Dawn then told them about all that had happened since he had arrived back in Cesario   
"So you weren't able to find anything either Dawn?" Hitomi asked.   
"I never said that" Dawn replied and continued the story, finishing with his finding of the tree of life.   
"But why did you attack me earlier Dawn" Von asked. 

"I heard someone approaching on horseback this morning and I was afraid that maybe more of the men who attacked us in Cesario had managed to follow us back here and were going to try and attack us as we slept. I didn't know it was you Von until you spoke" Dawn answered.   
"I can't say that I blame you but did you have to punch me so hard" Von replied as they all started to laugh. Dawn then stood up and said to Von and Hitomi.   
"I was just about to make some lunch for myself and Noriko, if you would like to join us" 

Von then looked over to Hitomi who was now talking quietly with Noriko and replied "We'd love to". 

……… 

After they had finished their lunch they had all retreated into the main living room of the house where Hitomi and Von sat down on a long cushioned bench while Dawn and Noriko sat in separate seats beside the warm glow of the fire that burned brightly in a fireplace in the right wall of the room. Then as a result of both the warm glow of the fire and the meal that they had just eaten, they each fell asleep with Hitomi and Von falling asleep beside one another on the cushioned bench. While Noriko soon fell asleep while sitting in her chair until finally Dawn who had been fighting the urge to sleep finally gave in and allowed his eyes to close, as his mind drifted through peaceful dreams. 

It was Von however who awoke first and looking towards the fire he saw that it had now long since died out and so curious to see how long they had slept. He looked first at Hitomi whose head was now resting peacefully on his shoulder and then carefully lifting her head up off his shoulder he slid his body off the bench and laid Hitomi back down with her head now resting on a cushion. He then slowly stood up and made his way out into the hall trying not to wake the others. Then walking up to the front door and slowly opening it he walked outside taking in a breath of cool air as he stood looking up at the sky seeing that the sun was now hanging lower in the sky and was beginning to set as he began to stretch as his body as it felt stiff and sore from lying on the bench for so long. He then heard a noise behind him but did not move nor did he turn around, he just continued to look up at the sky. He then felt arms around his waist hugging him as he felt Hitomi's rest her head on his shoulder; he knew of coure that it was Hitomi because he had heard her soft footsteps coming up the hallway as he stood in the garden.   
"I didn't mean to wake you" Von said. 

"You didn't" Hitomi replied as moved to stand beside him.   
"Did you have a good sleep?" Von asked.   
"I did" Hitomi replied as Von placed his arms around her. They stood for several moments' in silence as they watched the sun set.   
"You know we're going to have to leave soon if we're all going to return back to Fanel before it gets dark" Von said.   
"I know but I would just like to stand here a little longer with you" Hitomi replied. 

After standing silently together for a short time longer as they watched the sun begin to set they then made their way back into the house and down the hallway and into the living room. They saw that Dawn and Noriko were still sleeping peacefully as they sat in their chairs by the fireplace. Von then walked over to the chair where Dawn was sleeping while Hitomi walked over to the chair where Noriko slept as gently they woke them. It was Dawn who awoke first as he opened his eyes and sitting forward slightly looked at Von and then around the room.   
"I guess we have to head back" Dawn asked urgently. 

"Yes I'm afraid, the sun is setting and we need to get back before it becomes too dark that's all" Von said. Dawn then stood up from his chair and began to stretch as Noriko slowly opened her eyes and looking up at Hitomi said sleepily.   
"Hitomi"   
"Were all going to have to leave now Noriko if were to get back to Fanel before it becomes too dark to see" Hitomi replied as Noriko stood up. 

"Would anyone like something to eat or drink before we leave" Dawn asked politely but none of them were really hungry so they left the room and began to get ready to leave. Dawn and Noriko went upstairs to gather their things while Hitomi went with Van as he went to attend to Tare. Once Von had fed and saddled Tare once more, he helped Hitomi up onto the saddle before climbing up himself and then riding around to the front of the house. It was Noriko who came out of the house first carrying some of her belongings and then Dawn came out and locked the door to the house. He then walked around to the side of the house along with Noriko and after a few moments they rode back to the front of the house. Now that they were all on horseback they rode away back through the forest following the same path that Hitomi and Von had used earlier. As they rode towards the entrance of the forest they could see that the sun had almost fully set and so they began to ride even faster until they were clear of the forest and were now approaching the outer walls of Fanel. 

……… 

When they returned to the castle the night had already dropped its veil and now everything was cloaked in darkness save for the few small lights that sparkled both in the castle and below in the city itself. Once they had eaten, Von was called away by his advisors who said that they had urgent matters that they needed to discuss with him. Hitomi, Noriko, and Dawn were now left in the large dining hall by themselves as they talked some more between themselves until it was late and they decided to retire to their rooms and get some rest. They continued to talk as they walked up the corridor near the top of the castle where the main bedrooms were located although keeping their voices low so as not to wake anyone who may have already retired to their rooms. It was Hitomi's room that they reached first and so after wishing her a good night, Dawn and Noriko continued to walk down the long corridor as Dawn had said that he would show Noriko to her room. As Hitomi stood in her doorway watching them leave she could see the small flame of their candle grow smaller and smaller as they walked away. Hitomi then closed the door as she entered the room and when she walked over to her bed to sit down she saw that lying perfectly across the bed covers was a dress. Hitomi marvelled at its beauty as she felt the softness of the cloth that it had been made with and the beauty of the colours as they intertwined to form different patterns. 

She then noticed that attached to just the top of the dress there appeared to be a note and so carefully removing it, she walked over to the small dressing table at the bottom of the room. Then sitting down she was now able to see the note clearly as the light of the candle shown on it and she could see that was addressed to her and so carefully breaking the seal she opened the letter and began to read: 

My dearest Hitomi   
This was one of the dresses that I asked the royal tailor to have specially made for you but unfortunately he was only able to complete it until just recently. I hope that this dress is okay for you and granted that I can stay out of Radians way before he catches me for another meeting, I will see you in the morning.   
With Love   
Von 

Once she had finished reading the note she carefully folded it up once more and placed it in a small drawer in the dressing table and then walking back to her bed she lifted up the dress and placed it carefully in her wardrobe. She then dressed for bed and blowing out the candle on the dressing table, climbed into the bed and pulled the covers up around herself. The only light in the room coming from the moon as it shone in through the open window as Hitomi laid her head down on the pillows and closed her eyes as she remembered Vons parting words in his note. 

……… 

At first she dreamed of Von and of how they were walking through the royal gardens laughing and talking as they held one another close. She then began to dream of Von unfurling his wings as the feathers showered them both as if they were petals and then of Von with his wings now fully unfurled smiling back at her. Running into his arms he held her close as his wings surrounded them both but then Hitomi began to feel something strange as all of a sudden they were showered with feathers once more and then she felt them as Von released her from his embrace. Two great white wings that were not much different from Von's own wings and then together they flew up into the sky and began to soar across the land taking in the breathtaking beauty of the land below her. Hitomi then felt a sharp pain as she began to fall suddenly unable to recover as she felt the searing pain in one of her wings. Above she saw Von soaring downwards as quickly as he could in order to catch her and as she did all those years ago when she had fallen into the pit at the dragons graveyard as she stretched her hand outwards in attempt to be with Von once more before she fell to the ground. 

As the pain grew she felt herself passing out as she fell into darkness but then she opened her eyes she thought that she had awoken from her dream only to find that she was now lying in Vons arms as he carried her upwards. She then felt the pain leave as she flew beside Von once more when all of a sudden the sky turned black and turning around she saw that Von was no longer beside her. Panic took her as she began to search the earth and the skies for him only to found nothing and then she saw it, the one thing that she had hoped and prayed would never happen again. Fanel was in flames and as she flew higher and higher to avoid the flames that raged all about her. She saw to her even greater fear and horror that the lower levels of the castle were on flame as a fierce battle raged within them. 

As she flew nearer and nearer to the lower levels and saw the battle that was raging below and the bodies of all those who had been killed men, women, and children. She began to cry as she screamed at the battle below. 

"Please stop fighting! Please! STOP IT!" Hitomi screamed as she sat bolt upright and then burying her face in her hands began crying. Then feeling something soft touch her shoulder, Hitomi looked up and saw Von looking at her with a soft smile as he sat just beside her on the bed. Then wrapping her arms around him Hitomi asked with fear in her voice.   
"Am I still dreaming?" 

"No, whatever you saw, it's over now" Von replied as Hitomi buried her face in his chest and began to cry as she held him tightly in her embrace, afraid that if she let go then he would disappear as he had done in her dream. Von simply held her close as she clutched to him tighter and tried to comfort and reassure her that everything was okay. Even though his own heart was breaking as he had never seen Hitomi in so much pain before although he didn't show it. Although he asked her what it was that she saw that had upset her so, she refused to talk about it and so Von did not push the matter any further. Then whenever Hitomi had finished crying, she simply lay there in his arms glad of the comfort and peace that being with him brought to her. Von kissed her softly on the forehead and said. 

"There's something I want to show you but we'll have to go soon before the sun rises" So lifting her head up, she simply smiled and nodded as she wiped away the tears. 

……… 

Von sat on the steps of the castle courtyard as he waited for Hitomi to come down from her room. He was still worried about what she had saw in her dreams that had scared her so much but he knew that Hitomi would tell him whenever she felt ready although he hoped that his surprise would help take her mind off of those things. It was not long before Hitomi came down to where Von was waiting and to his surprise she was wearing the dress that he had left for her just the night before. The sight of her wearing it as she walked down the steps towards him made him feel as if his breath had been stole away and then Hitomi seeing his reaction began to smile and laugh.   
"You don't like it then" Hitomi said and started to laugh as she sat down beside him. 

"I think you look… beautiful" Von replied.   
"So what was it that you wanted to show me" Hitomi asked curiously.   
"Do you trust me" Von replied as Hitomi looked at him slightly puzzled and then he asked again to which Hitomi replied. 

"Of course, I trust you with my life" Then stepping off the ledge Von walked into the courtyard and began to unfurl his wings, the silhouette of which Hitomi could only see as it was still quite dark outside. Hitomi then walked forward into the courtyard to meet him as he walked forwards to meet her, his wings now fully extended leaving a small trail of white feathers. Then lifting Hitomi into his arms as she placed her arms around his neck he flew upwards, first passing the battlements, then the entire castle itself until finally they landed on the mountain top high above the castle. Von then placed Hitomi carefully back down onto her feet and then together they stood as they awaited the arrival of the early morning sun. It was not long before the sun began to rise and when it did it was even more beautiful than Hitomi could have ever imagined as firstly it sent an orange glow across the sky as if banishing the dark. Then its rays passed over the forest as it slowly made its way across the land until it had left the forest and was now approaching the outer walls and then made its way over the small houses and fields and so it made its way over the land until it came to the small river that ran down through the city. 

The river then began to sparkle and glow as the rays touched the water making it appear to Hitomi that the rays were dancing across the river. The rays then passed over the many houses below the castle bouncing from roof to roof before finally they came to the castle itself. It was then as the rays illuminated the castle from the great banners bearing the royal symbol of the dragon to the great towers built for the defence of the city. That the sheer beauty and grandeur of the castle was revealed until finally the suns rays had passed over all Fanelia. Hitomi had stood in silence and awe as she looked out over all of Fanelia now revealed in all its majesty and glory.   
"I thought you would appreciate this Hitomi" 

"Von it's beautiful, thank you so much" Hitomi said as Von merely nodded his head in acknowledgement and then together they turned back to look out over the city. Hitomi then looked up at the sky which was now a light blue mixed with a pale orange glow that came from the early morning sun. Suddenly the images from her dream flooded her mind and so powerful and strong were they that whenever she looked out over the sky once more she could only see darkness and whenever she looked down at the city she could only see the death and destruction from her vision. 

"No! Please! Not Again! Please Don't Make Me See Them Again!" The tears filled her eyes and her voice trembled with fear as she screamed to the sky. She then fainted unable to cope with the visions any longer as she felt herself falling into darkness. Von watched helplessly as Hitomi cried out in pain as she staggered backwards towards the edge of the cliff and suddenly passing out fell backwards off the edge. 

"HITOMI!" Von screamed his voice now trembling with fear as he ran forwards and jumped off the edge of the cliff face as his wings burst out once more. Beneath him he could see Hitomi as she fell faster and faster as he dived downwards as fast as he could. Hitomi was now falling faster and coming perilously close to the castle below. Von straightened his body and his wings even more as he dived down faster and faster in order to try and make up the distance between himself and Hitomi. 

Then when Hitomi was mere metres away from certain death, Von reached out his arms and caught her as he turned in the air and extended his flattened wings once more as he began to fly back up to the mountain top once more. Looking down at Hitomi as she lay motionless in his arms, her eyes closed, Von feared the worst but still continued to fly upwards until he was standing on the mountain top once more. Walking forward as his wings returned inside his body once more he kneeled down and then sitting with his legs drawn up slightly cradled Hitomi in his arms. Gently he pushed back the hair from her eyes as he tried desperately to fight his fear and the tears that threatened to blind him as he said softly. 

"Hitomi, please wake up, Hitomi" but when he saw that Hitomi was lying motionless in his arms he bowed his head and said "I love you" as he began to cry as he held Hitomi as close to him as he could as his heart felt like it had been tore apart. 

For what had felt like an eternity to Von, he had cradled Hitomi in his arms until softly he heard her whisper.   
"I love you too Von" 

"Hitomi" Von said almost in disbelief and lifting his head up, he saw that she had lifted her head up from his shoulder and was now smiling weakly back at him. In that moment Von felt that if his heart could have beaten any faster then it would have surely burst out of his chest. Then holding her close as he fought back the tears he said. "I thought I'd lost you" 

"I thought I'd lost you too" Hitomi replied as she looked up at him and saw the fear lift from his face as it was replaced by utter joy. Hitomi then lifted her hand up and began to caress his cheek as he took her hand and began to kiss it gently whenever a tear rolled from his cheek down onto her hand. Then leaning in closer to one another they shared their first true kiss as they began to kiss each other passionately as they expressed their true feelings for one another. They both felt that they never wanted the moment to end and wished that they could be lost in it forever where no-one could ever touch or hurt them ever again. Then together they sat on the mountain top as Hitomi resting her head against Von who simply held her close as they watched the people below them begin to leave their homes as they moved around the streets below. After a short time they decided to leave the mountain top and so standing up Von walked over to the mountain edge and peered over in order to see if there were any people below in the gardens. 

When he was sure that the there was no one in the gardens he made his way back over to Hitomi who was sitting with her legs drawn up underneath her chin as she rested her head on her knees. She smiled back at him as he knelt down in front of her returning her smile and once more they began to kiss as Von lifted her up into his arms. Then as Hitomi placed her arms around his neck, he began to unfurl his wings once more as they burst out from his back and through his shirt and then walking forward to the edge of the mountain. He began to fly upwards slightly until he was far enough away from the edge of the cliff and so began to descend into the gardens below to a spot on the edge of the gardens that was just out of the view of others. 

Carefully Von set Hitomi down on to her feet once more and then hand in hand they walked back into the main gardens. As they came nearer to the gardens entrance they passed a few of the men and woman who tended the gardens who smiled and greeted them as they passed and Hitomi and Von in return wished everyone they met a good morning. Then they walked back up the path to the castle and made their way to the kitchens where they were greeted by the cooks who asked them what they wished to have for breakfast as they were aware that the king and the lady Hitomi had not yet eaten. Once they had told the cooks what they would like if it was not too much trouble, the cooks simply smiled and said that it was no trouble at all and that they would bring the food shortly to the dining room. So once more Von and Hitomi made their way back through the castles corridors until they reached the dining room where they were surprised to see that there was no one around. So sitting down they began to talk as they waited for the food to come and it was during their conversation that Hitomi asked something that took Von slightly by surprise.   
"Von, there's something that I want to ask you"   
"Okay" Von replied. 

"Von, I was wondering of you would teach me how to fight" Hitomi said.   
"Hitomi, what do you mean?" Von asked slightly confused.   
"I'd like to learn how to fight with a sword so that I may learn how to defend myself and others should I need to" Hitomi replied. 

"Are you sure about this Hitomi, its just that you've" Von said as he took a pause before saying "Well it's just that you've always been against violence of any kind".   
"Please don't ask me to explain" Hitomi replied. Von smiled and then taking Hitomi's hands in his own said.   
"Don't worry, I'll teach you how to wield a sword but first I'll need a few days to prepare everything so that I can teach you in peace away from prying eyes" 

"Thank you" Hitomi replied.   
"Its okay but now there's something I'd like to ask you" Von said.   
"Okay" Hitomi replied.   
"How would you feel about being trained by two people instead of one?" Von asked.   
"That would be fine" Hitomi answered.   
"Okay then, I'll talk to Dawn later and see what he says" Von replied.   
"That would be great but do you think he'll mind" Hitomi asked slightly unsure. 

"Knowing Dawn, he'll probably ask you if you're sure that you want to him to train you instead of someone like Alan" Von said as he started to laugh slightly.   
"Really?" Hitomi asked slightly surprised.   
"Oh yes, you see even though he's confident in himself and his abilities, Dawn's still very modest and doesn't like to boast the way some swordsman do" Von replied. 

At that moment the doors opened and a young lady entered followed by several more ladies each carrying a tray of freshly prepared food. Once they had finished eating their breakfast, they had sat and talked for a short time when they heard a short knock on the dining hall doors.   
"Come in" Von called back and then the doors opened and in walked a young man who appeared to be no older than sixteen, dressed in the uniform of the castle guards. He walked forward to the dining table and bowing respectfully to Von and then to Hitomi said. 

"Sire, I am sorry to disturb you when you are dining with the lady Hitomi but you asked me to tell you when Alan Shazar's ship arrived in port" the young man said.   
"Yes, has he arrived" Von asked. 

"He has sire, he's with Radian in the conference room" the young man replied.   
"Well could you please tell him that I will join him now in a few moments" Von said.   
"Yes sire" the young man answered. 

"Thank you, Onoír" Von replied as the young man bowed to them both once more and walked out of the dining room closing the doors again as he left. Once Onoír had left Von turned back to Hitomi and was about to speak whenever Hitomi said.   
"Von its okay, go and speak with Alan and we can see each other again later"   
"Will you meet by the fountain later" Von replied as Hitomi smiled and said. 

"Yes" Then standing up from the dining table they made their way back out into the castle corridors and while Von made his way towards the conference room. Hitomi decided to go and explore the library and it was not long before she was walking towards the large entrance into the library. She spent the rest of the morning in the library, reading books about Fanelia's history and was both surprised and slightly taken back while reading one such book. As the chapter she was reading described the war with Zaibach and how King Von along with Hitomi the Foreseer, the girl from the mystic moon, the kings one true love defeated the emperor Dunkirk in order to restore peace to Gaea. It then told of how in order to maintain that peace, Hitomi made the ultimate sacrifice by returning to the mystic moon, there was an even an illustration of the pillar of light returning her to the mystic moon. 

Reading the chapter, Hitomi had remembered her first meeting with Dawn over a month ago when she first arrived and he had believed her to be as she was described in the chapter that she had just read. She suppressed a giggle as she remembered Dawns obvious embarrassment at the time as he had got lost in the moment and forgotten the true story of what happened as told to him by Von. After having some lunch with Merle, Hitomi decided to retire to her room and try and get some rest as she had not being able to get much sleep that day. Not long after resting her head on the soft pillows she fell into a deep sleep and so slept through what was left of the afternoon and part of the evening. She had slept relatively peacefully except for one dream that she was unsure was a vision or a memory and in it she saw Escaflowne destroying Fanelia as it fought in what appeared to be a war of some kind. 

Hitomi however did not wake up as her body was too tired and weary from lack of sleep and so once this dream was over she experienced more peaceful dreams and when she awoke once more it was because of what she thought was someone knocking on her bedroom door. When she looked out the window she saw that it was now starting to grow dark and so standing up once more, she walked over to the door and opening saw that it was Von who had been knocking but his expression seemed grave. 

"Hitomi, I need to talk to you" Von said silently as Hitomi showed him in and then closed the door once more as Von sat down on the edge of the bed.   
"Von, what's wrong?" Hitomi asked concerned as she sat down beside him.   
"Hitomi, I'm….." Von paused and then looking up at Hitomi and seeing how concerned she was said.   
"Hitomi, I'm going to fight in the final battle against Erráre" 

……   
**End of Chapter Six   
Sundance   
_13.08.04_**   
…… 

**Author Message: - **   
Firstly I would like to thank all those readers who have read this story from its earliest chapters and continue to read it. I would also like to thank everyone who has reviewed the past five chapters of the story for their kind and honest reviews as these reviews are greatly appreciated as it is always nice whenever someone takes an interest in your work especially if they are enjoying reading that piece of work. I really enjoyed working on this chapter as it was a chance to work with just Hitomi and Von as every other chapter had a mix of different characters whereas this chapter focused mostly on them. Something I must also explain just in case it may have caused confusion is when Hitomi and Von kiss on the mountain top and the reason this may have caused confusion is because I described it as their first true kiss. 

The reason why I described this as their first true kiss was because they never really kissed in the original series nor have they ever really kissed at any point in the chapters leading up to this point. This was deliberate as I felt that their first kiss like Dawn and Noriko's first kiss at the end of the previous chapter should be special so that they would remember it always. Focusing solely on Von and Hitomi was fun as it meant that I was able to show even more just how much they loved and cared for one another. I also enjoyed all the scenes at the start with Merle as they allowed me to show more of Merle's tender, caring side as well as her sense of fun and adventure as I always enjoy writing Merles scenes because they are just so fun to do. It's actually for this reason that I'm looking forward to chapter 9 as it is in chapter 9 that I get to write some of the things I have planned from the beginning as well as allowing me to finally write one of my favourite scenes that has been planned for a long time. 

All I will say about this scene is that it should be quite funny as it involves Merle, Dawn and Noriko as it also leads into the next scene with Merle and Dawn but I'm afraid you'll just have to wait in order to see what happens. Oh yes before I forget, the reason why this chapter is shorter than the previous chapter is because there are no action scenes as it is mainly a character based chapter. Well I guess that's it for now but don't forget my good friend and collaborator Butch has his own story which runs parallel to this and tells the story of Hitomi's daughter Sadako twenty years after the end of my story. Now both these stories can be read separately or together but I would recommend that you read Butch's story Descended Shadow as well. As there are revelations and events that happen in Descended Shadow that have a direct effect on my story in the same way that there are revelations and events that happen in my story that have a direct effect on the Descended Shadow. 

Well that's it for now, so until Chapter 7 enjoy the story and please if you have any questions about either this story or Butch's story Descended Shadow please send them to the usual e-mail address at Also please feel free to leave a review about this chapter and tell me what you thought of it and how the story in general is going as well as leaving any questions that you may have.   
**Sundance**


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